Hawkins George: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee 
Hawkins George: Environment Canterbury (Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:661;Page:9975] 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS (Labour—Manurewa) 
: 
 What is interesting about this bill is the outrage in respect of it and how some people have changed their minds about democracy. When the previous Labour Government was accused of changing things for Rodney there was a real uproar about democracy. Where did this uproar come from? It was ACT—ACT Party members were the ones who were upset and they were the ones who were making the noise. But now those members have changed their minds. They change their minds about all sorts of things. We have a Minister who picks on a mayor because he happens to water a tree at night during a drought. We have a situation where people change their minds. 
Almost 400000 people will lose their right to vote at the October elections of Environment Canterbury councillors. They will have to wait until perhaps 2013. So we see that there are double standards all over the place. One can be against one thing and for another thing in the blink of an eye. One can take one’s partner overseas to travel the world for a family wedding and at the same time one can take away the rights of people to elect their local regional council. I think the public will see this quite clearly. We have a Government that has lost its way when it said it would keep in touch with people. It has not kept in touch with people. It has got rid of an elected council which was elected by the people of Canterbury and replaced it with commissioners. I have to say that I have a lot of admiration for Dame Margaret Bazley. I think she will do a wonderful job in that role but that role should never have been needed. Canterbury has had its pollution problems. The regional council has got on top of that and sorted it out. 
Nicky Wagner 
: No they haven’t. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Oh it has not sorted it out? It has made great steps. 
Nicky Wagner 
: No they haven’t. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: Well that member might not be cooperating. Maybe she has a smoky home; maybe she has a place so that she cannot see the facts. It has been making progress and I think that is what the people of Canterbury want. You see 375000 people will lose a major right with this bill. Part 1 takes that right away. I say to members opposite that they cannot run roughshod over people. They have already done it to Auckland by not having a referendum at all but passing legislation under urgency like we are doing here today. It seems to be becoming a bit of a habit. Dr Nick Smith well knows that when Governments start ignoring the democratic rights of people they start that slippery slide. The tide is turning I say to Dr Smith it is slowly turning. It may be out now but all of a sudden he will see that the tide comes rushing in. And it will not take 9 years to come rushing in it will not take 6 years to come rushing in but in a mere 18 months or so he will see that people are sick of such arrogance by a Government that really does not care about people. It takes them for granted. 
Members opposite can just turn round and thumb their noses but they cannot do it to a third of the population in Auckland and 370-odd thousand people in Canterbury. Those people are wondering why they are losing their vote. We have not really heard— 
Nicky Wagner 
: They are not wondering; they know why. 
Hon GEORGE HAWKINS 
: We hear some of the National members squawking on the other side. But they are the ones who will lose their seats. They will be so far down the list they will be gone.