Key John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Key John: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:633;Page:5300] 
12.  
JOHN KEY (National—Helensville) 
 to the  
Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues 
: Does she stand by her statement on the radio yesterday regarding local government reform in Auckland that “I don’t want to spend time on reorganisations. They take a huge amount of time.”; if so why? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues) 
: 
 Yes I do as a personal view having been through the reorganisations in 1989. However I also support any move that will help Auckland to become an internationally competitive world-class city and any initiative for reform needs to come from wider Auckland. 
John Key 
: When the Prime Minister meets with the four Auckland City mayors today will she be saying to them: “I don’t want to spend time on reorganisations. They take a huge amount of time.”; if not why not? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: The Prime Minister has already met with the Auckland mayors. What I will say is what I have been saying for the last 15 years that I have been in Parliament: having seen the amount of time that reorganisations of local government take I would prefer that we had one plan and got on with it to fix Auckland. 
H V Ross Robertson 
: What actions has the Government taken to assist Auckland local government? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: We are working closely with Auckland local government business and communities. For example we have invested heavily in land transport. We are spending more than $7.3 billion on Auckland roads and public transport in the next 10 years—over $559 million this year alone. We have embarked on New Zealand’s largest State highway building programme. We have worked with Government and Auckland leaders to launch a vision aimed at achieving a common view of transport projects in Auckland because we recognise that Auckland must be a world-class city if it is to help New Zealand to meet its prosperity potential. 
John Key 
: Is it not the case that her stated position is the complete opposite of the Prime Minister’s who was reported in the  
New Zealand Herald  
as hinting that the Government will consider reducing the number of Auckland councils and as saying that stronger government at the regional level will help to push the city forward; is it not also the case that her position is completely opposite to that of the Minister of Finance who was also reported in the  
New Zealand Herald 
 as saying there is a strong indication that central government would be prepared to give the process of centralisation in Auckland a big shove; if not why not? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: No because the Prime Minister has also said that we need to keep the “local” in local government. Auckland has regional government and there is nothing that could not be done in Auckland now within the present structures. Aucklanders should get on with it. I am really concerned at the time that is taken for structural reorganisation when in fact what we need is action—which is what this Government is doing. 
Rt Hon Winston Peters 
: Supplementary question. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: I am sorry but there are no more supplementary questions for the member’s party. 
John Key 
: I would say “on your butt” but I guess it is a sore point. 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Would the member please just get on with the question. 
John Key 
: If my member’s bill on local government reform in Auckland is drawn out of the ballot will the Minister support its first reading; if not why not? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: I have not seen that bill. But given the history of the National Party’s contribution to the structural reorganisation of Auckland I would be very surprised if it were a positive move. 
John Key 
: Are we in fact misinterpreting the Minister’s comments that “I don’t want to spend time on reorganisations. They take a huge amount of time.” and did she actually mean that local government reform in Auckland would take a huge amount of her own time; precisely what other commitments does she have that make her such an industrious and overstretched Minister? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: One of the roles I have taken as Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues is to meet with every territorial local authority and with regional government the business community and the voluntary sector. Many of those organisations are calling for reorganisation but many of them having been through the changes in 1989 would prefer just to get on with their work. 
John Key 
: What kind of sinecure is it to be the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues when the Prime Minister is meeting with the four Auckland mayors about the possibility of an Auckland “super city” and she is not even present or invited? 
Hon JUDITH TIZARD 
: Having been to every one but one of the Auckland Mayoral Forum meetings this year I have made it very clear to Auckland that my job is to facilitate the access of Auckland leaders to the relevant Minister. I have no problem with that. Unlike that member who appears to be usurping the role of his leader I have no leadership aspirations.