Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Robertson Grant: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 11 September 2012. Volume:683;Page:5042. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
7. 
GRANT ROBERTSON (Deputy Leader—Labour) 
 to the  
Minister of Local Government 
: Does he agree with the statement by the previous Minister for Local Government Hon Dr Nick Smith “Under any circumstances the next regional council elections in Canterbury will take place no later than the elections scheduled for late 2013”? 
Hon DAVID CARTER (Minister of Local Government) 
: 
 I did at the time. Nick Smith made those comments in March 2010 and although it may have escaped the attention of the member we have had since then four major earthquake events in Christchurch. The member will also know that the quote he just read out from Nick Smith went on to say this: “The explicit intent is for the commissioners to withdraw and be replaced by elected representatives as soon as their task is achieved and the present systemic issues are resolved.” The commissioners are doing an outstanding job and have made good progress but the job is not yet complete. 
Grant Robertson 
: How can it not be a broken promise to the people of Canterbury that they would be able to elect their own regional council when the former Minister said that under any circumstances elections would take place in 2013? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Because as I have just said to the member Nick Smith went on to say: “The explicit intent is for the commissioners to withdraw and be replaced … as soon as their task is achieved …”. Because of the earthquake event because progress is still not finalised around the Canterbury Water Management Strategy that job is not yet complete. 
Grant Robertson 
: To whom are the commissioners running Environment Canterbury accountable: his Government or the people of Canterbury? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: At this stage the people who are responsible are the seven appointed commissioners. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Minister may not have heard the question clearly. The question asked to whom they are responsible: the Government or the local people of Canterbury. 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I apologise. I did not hear the question properly. The commissioners are responsible both to the Government and to the people of Canterbury. 
Grant Robertson 
: Is he familiar with the phrase “No taxation without representation” and why does he think ratepayers in the Canterbury region should continue to pay rates when his Government is denying them the right to be democratically represented at a regional level? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Because of the circumstances. Those Cantabrians had been asked to pay rates to a regional council that was the worst-performing regional council out of 84. They had been asked to pay rates to a regional council that an independent report concluded was ineffective and dysfunctional. 
Denis O’Rourke 
: Will the Minister give an undertaking to the electors in the Canterbury region that they will be given the opportunity through a comprehensive consultation process to have a say on the main options for the reform of local government in the region before the Government introduces legislation to end the local democracy - free zone there? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: It is the intention of the Government to have the legislation put before the select committee. That will be the opportunity for Cantabrians to have their say. It is worth noting that at this stage the only negative comments I have seen have been from the Labour Party the Christchurch  
Press 
 and two former disgruntled Environment Canterbury councillors: Eugenie Sage and Kerry Burke. 
Grant Robertson 
: Does he agree with the statement “Elections are central to democracy but they are not always on their own a magic or quick-fix solution.” made by Frank Bainimarama and which does he think is likely to occur first: elections in Fiji or elections for Environment Canterbury? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I do not think there would be any Government that wanted to roll over local democracy but when local democracy is not working as was the case recently with the Kaipara District Council Governments have to act. I note that in the case of the Kaipara District Council there was absolutely no criticism from Grant Robertson. 
Grant Robertson 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. I appreciate my question had two parts to it but I do not think the Minister addressed whether he agreed with Frank Bainimarama or whether elections were going to happen in Fiji— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! Given the nature of the question the answer was not too bad. 
Hon Trevor Mallard 
: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a serious question but what I am wondering is whether there has been some effect on the Government benches of your borrowing your tie from Mr Ryall. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! I do not see how that is a point of order. The question that was being referred to was asking for an opinion and a precise answer is never possible when an opinion is being sought. 
Jacqui Dean 
: Has the Minister seen any reports that show that the performance of Environment Canterbury has dramatically improved since commissioners were appointed? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: Yes. I have seen a report that showed that this council under the commissioners processed 92 percent of resource consents within the statutory time frames in 2010-11. This is a massive increase from just 29 percent in 2007-08 under the former model. I am also aware of a number of very positive reports from a wide range of stakeholders in relation to last week’s announcements including NgaiTahu Local Government New Zealand Federated Farmers and a large number of mayors from the region. They all stated that the commissioners have been a dramatic improvement and have done a fantastic job. As I mentioned earlier the only negative comments that I have seen are from the Labour Party the Christchurch  
Press 
—and that would be of little surprise to any of us—and two former disgruntled councillors— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Order! The member should not be making those sorts of comments. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Why did the Minister not agree with his own department’s advice and also the advice of the Ministry for the Environment that there be a return to a fully locally elected democratic body under a transitional plan; if he did agree with that at any point why did he change his mind? 
Hon DAVID CARTER 
: I am aware of advice from officials that suggested a hybrid model as a transition. I am waiting to see the full report from the Land and Water Forum as to what recommendations it makes with regard to all regional councils around New Zealand. In the meantime officials gave advice to Cabinet and Cabinet gave it very full discussion and concluded that remaining with the commissioners was the best option for Cantabrians. 
Hon Lianne Dalziel 
: Given the Minister’s response he obviously has not read it. I seek leave to table the regulatory impact statement. 
Mr SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.