Sio Su'a William: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee 
Sio Su'a William: Local Government (Auckland Reorganisation) Bill — In Committee 
[Volume:654;Page:3408] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 I shall address my comments to the amendment that inserts a new clause 9(4): “The changes in this part will not take effect until a poll of electors has approved the changes in line with schedule 3 Section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002”. 
Firstly I acknowledge the Hon George Hawkins the Opposition spokesperson on local government. He has introduced to the Committee on behalf of Labour a number of amendments that reflect our determination as the Opposition to hold this Government to account. They also reflect our determination to ensure that this Government takes the time to consider asking Aucklanders to have a say on this legislation. After all it is Aucklanders—the people throughout the Auckland region—who will be affected by it. 
Part 2—clause 9—is the core focus of this entire debate. This particular clause sets in motion what is the most significant and fundamental change in local government for not just the Auckland region but the rest of New Zealand as well. It is also the clause that gives life to a new creature: the monster that we now call the super-city. But at the same time it extinguishes the life of eight other living entities. It extinguishes the life of the Franklin District Council and we have heard in this Chamber that one of National’s own Sir William Birch does not want it to die; he wants the Franklin District Council to continue living and has sought from National and Mr Hide that it be allowed to continue to live. This part of the bill extinguishes the life of Manukau City extinguishes the life of the Rodney District Council and extinguishes the life of Papakura of Waitakere of Auckland City and the Auckland Regional Council. 
Ordinarily when we create a new creature most people would celebrate the new life. But in this particular case the life is being imposed; it is being shoved down the throats of Aucklanders whether or not they like it. In fact Aucklanders feel that they have had no consensual participation in the creation of this life. That is why this amendment is so important. According to some Aucklanders it would not be so bad if the Government had come and asked them but it had not. That is despite Mr Key declaring before the election that when the royal commission’s recommendations were made known he would go out and talk to Aucklanders. That has not happened. 
In Part 2 the Government also gives a name to this new creature. It calls it the Auckland Council. I ask the Minister of Local Government whether he consulted with the eight local territorial authorities in Auckland with the mayors and the councillors about the name of this super-city creature. Did he ask the mayors what name this new creature ought to be called? I doubt that very much. People might ask what is in a name. A name is so important that in this Chamber we are quite strict about the names we use. [ 
Interruption 
] I cannot call that member opposite a “big fella” and I cannot call other members a “brown fella” a “boldie” a “grumpy” or an “ugly fella”. I have to call those members by their names. That is how important names are. 
I ask whether the Government asked tangata whenua. I ask Mr Hide whether he consulted Ngati Whatua or Ngai Tai about what the name should be. According to Maori legend the name ”Tamaki-makau-rau” refers to a city of a hundred lovers. I invite members of the Maori Party to comment on that name because it is an important name; I am hopeful that my rangatira on the other side of the Chamber will speak to the name “Tamaki-makau-rau”. 
But there is another name and that is Greater Auckland Council. Why could the proposed body not be called the Greater Auckland Council? I am determined to ask the Minister to tell us whether he consulted people on the name because Auckland—