Just what is the National/Act Government's legislative plans for Auckland Super city...

What is the Government's legislative plans for Auckland Super City? What are they going to tell the people who live there?

Shane Jones MP: Labour is calling on the National/Act Government to spell out what the Super City legislation it plans to ram through under urgency will entail, says its Local Government spokesman Shane Jones.

"Mr Hide said last week that he planned to try to pass legislation under urgency on the issue when Parliament resumes. He has suggested that the legislation is only technical and would revolve around enabling the establishment of a transition agency."

"However there have been other suggestions that the legislation may be more substantial and could include a determination on the Government's plans to create at large councillors and to ban the Maori seats," Mr Jones says.

"The Government needs to come clean on whether there is any truth to these suggestions and tell the public exactly what the legislation will and won't entail. Right now it's becoming hard to know what to believe.

"Prime Minister John Key is out there telling Aucklanders the Government is prepared to listen to their views on the issue, while at the same time Mr Hide is keeping everyone in the dark when it comes to the legislation.

"The Government's approach to this issue has already angered Aucklanders. If it now plans to rush through legislation which prevents changes to its proposals being made, while at the same time promising further consultation, it will seriously inflame the situation," Mr Jones says.

Mangere MP Su'a William Sio last night went to a public meeting organised by the Manukau City Council on the proposed Super City and attended by several hundred people.

"Residents were very clearly opposed to a number of the Government's plans and were united in their opposition to the introduction of at large councillors. They also want the proposed community boards to be given a lot more teeth," he said.

"They are determined to engage in the select committee process and to begin writing submissions. But if the legislation being rushed through under urgency is more substantial than Mr Hide has suggested, there may be little point. If the Government has in any way misled the public on this issue, they will be furious."

Auckland, New Zealand - a rightwing nanny state...

Full of rightwing politicians from councils to parliament, but as nanny statish as anything claimed during Labour's reign:


Right-wing nanny state? While some Auckland beaches are contaminated with sewage and public transport remains an embarrassment, it's good to see the Auckland City Council has moved on to more important matters — like dictating to buskers what songs they can play. If it was April, I'd swear this story was a joke. The new policy says buskers must apply for an annual busking licence and develop sufficient repertoire so they can perform without repetition.

So who will make sure buskers stick to the rule? A council funded busker monitor? Or better yet, maybe the police would like to add it to their list of daily tasks? Will they also restrict the playing of 'Smoke on the Water'? Please? What do you think should be Auckland City Council's priorities? Cleaning up the beaches? Public transport? Moving the homeless from central-city streets? Bringing another international sporting star to Auckland for the enjoyment of the council? Too many questions, I know.

Quite frankly they are welcome to their nanny state. Does anybody admit to actually living there?

Auckland proposes supercity plan...

Auckland proposes supercity plan...

First published on Qassia:

The Auckland City Council proposes to unveil a dramatic plan and template for a single super-city with a 26 member council and an elected lord mayor.

Under this plan the Auckland region would lose 90% of its 264 elected local politicians representing seven terrritorial councils and the Auckland Regional Council, it was reported recently.

The plan will be approved or amended for the council's submission to the Royal commission of Enquiry on Auckland governance. Submissions will close in less than a month,on April 22 2008.

If this plan is successful in being approved, and put into operation there would be a saving of millions of dollars per year. The downside could be a dramatic redundancy in manpower.

Here in the Wellington region I'm sure there will be a very interested watching brief. If the Auckland plan is approved and successfully put into operation, there is absolutely no reason why a 'Wellington supercity' couldn't follow. There has to be some amalgamation in the Hutt Valley for certain, but total amalgamation would certainly be given some real consideration.

I personally will be following the Auckland proposal with much interest.


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