Royal Commission of Inquiry superb

Media statement Monday, July 30th, 2007

Royal Commission of Inquiry superb

This Government will be thanked by Aucklanders for generations to come for its decision today to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into how Auckland should be governed, says Alasdair Thompson, chief executive of the Northern Employers & Manufacturers Association

Today will also be remembered for the reaction to the announcement by some of our city’s erstwhile civic leaders.

“The overwhelming majority of Aucklanders will be delighted with this decision,” Mr Thompson said

“I congratulate Helen Clark and her government in making the decision to establish an independent, high powered Royal Commission of Inquiry.

“The inquiry will give us the chance to set our city on a sustainable course for the future and at the same time to put local back into local government.

"This is what EMA's fixauckland.com campaign asked for. The government has accepted that the plan put forward by the Auckland councils did not go far enough, but is retaining it as an interim step towards a One Auckland solution.

“I invite Aucklanders to watch closely the reaction by our local council leaders because it will reveal what they stand to lose.

“ARC chairman Mike Lee has already acknowledged the plan that he, other councils, and Auckland officials took to Wellington for sign off was done without any effective public consultation.

“Others have said their own plan is “underwhelming” but a “good start”.

“With visionless statements like these to guide Auckland I am absolutely convinced Aucklanders will state their overwhelming support for bringing our region under a single governance structure with one major council and a single administration.

“That’s because EMA, NZCID and the One Auckland Trust have consulted between them 72 community, business and political leadership groups and representatives in drawing up our proposal for the one administration to serve two levels of elected local government.

“Go to www.FixAuckland.com to see what the real issues are, and for a realistic way to solve them.”

ENDS

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