Pillay Lynne: General Debate 
Pillay Lynne: General Debate 
[Volume:653;Page:2719] 
LYNNE PILLAY (Labour) 
: 
 It is a pleasure to stand and speak in this general debate and I will speak as my colleagues have on Auckland governance. I start by congratulating the communities across Auckland: the people of Manukau the North Shore Auckland City—despite their mayor—and the people of Waitakere. They have had a gutsful of the National Government’s actions its blatant disregard for the royal commission’s report and its imposition of a model that rips the heart out of our communities and the “local” out of local government. It is all to deliver a system that looks after the Government’s members and gives power to their rich mates. Well it did not work. Every community across the greater region has risen up and said very loudly and very clearly “No way.” 
Hon Maurice Williamson 
: That’s not true! 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: I tell Maurice Williamson to ask Paula Bennett. Those members have her on the run. There has been no consultation whatsoever. The Government is taking every resource from our cities and our communities. I acknowledge westies in this House for their opposition. We are westies. From their postcards to their rallies thousands in Waitakere turned out. Hundreds attended the Labour Party public meeting on a wet Monday night along with David Cunliffe Chris Carter Kelvin Davis and me to protest at this Government’s actions. We have been with the people of the Auckland region and all our cities every step of the way. 
Hone Harawira 
: Good on you Lynne. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Thank you Hone. I hope that member will take the next call on this because there is one left. We know in Waitakere that we are an eco-city a peace city a community city and the best place to live because of the relationship between our council and the communities who live there. We know that; we always have. Rodney Hide did not know that John Key did not know that and Paula Bennett did not know that but they do now. They are on the run. They are back-pedalling so quick to get in with the people of Waitakere the people of Manukau and the people of the North Shore—ask Darien Fenton who has attended public meetings. 
Where are the National MPs in all of this? I am really pleased that the National Government is starting to back track big time. I say all power to the people. Keep it up. Go on the hikoi. Good on Hone Harawira. Get it going but please take a call next because if you do not— 
Mr SPEAKER 
: The Speaker cannot take a call. 
LYNNE PILLAY 
: Sorry Mr Speaker—if the Maori Party does not take a call then someone else will. We want to see a mayor in local government who is accountable to the city and Auckland City positions elected by wards. We want to keep the “local” in local government. We want an agreed system of Maori representation certainty and fair treatment of the staff who work in those councils and public ownership guaranteed in our councils. That can happen only if the people of our cities continue to fight this Government. I pledge very clearly that Labour will be there alongside them every step of the way saying that no way will we have the National-ACT Government impose on us conditions of government that as Su’a William Sio said before will be there for generations to come that will rip the heart out of our communities and our cities. That is not what the royal commission recommended that is not what Labour wants to see happen that is not what the people of Auckland want to see happen and that is not what the people of Waitakere want to see happen—or the people of the North Shore of Manukau City or many of the Auckland City councillors who have spoken out against their mayor. They want an inclusive vibrant regional structure that is represented by a ward system from every city in the region so they have a true voice. We want resources for all of our community projects for all of the great things that happen in our cities that Su’a William Sio spoke about and certainly we see that happening in Waitakere.