Phil Twyford
Auckland Issues Spokesperson

18 May 2009 Media release

Government running scared on Super City

The Cabinet appears to have blocked Rodney Hide’s proposed appointments to the Auckland Council transition agency as it suffers an attack of nerves over its plans, says Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford.

“The Local Government Minister said earlier today that he planned to announce his proposed appointments to the transition agency today, once they’d been approved by Cabinet.

“But embarrassingly for Mr Hide, his office has now confirmed that no announcement will be made today because the appointments weren’t approved.

“It’s not surprising that the Cabinet has reined in Mr Hide, whose poor handling of the issue will be of increasing concern to its Auckland MPs in particular.

“They have just embarked on a series of public meetings in Auckland on the Government’s Super City plans and will be dismayed by the negative on-the-ground reaction, which Labour has been talking about for weeks.

“After the Christine Rankin debacle, the last thing Prime Minister John Key needed was another minister running amok with the appointments process, which is becoming a reflection of his management as well as that of the relevant ministers,” Phil Twyford says.

“You have to wonder if it was John Key or some of the other senior ministers in Cabinet who put the brakes on Mr Hide today.

“But whoever’s idea it was, why didn’t they tell Mr Hide before he went public about his appointment plans this morning? It sounds like Waterview and someone forgetting to tell Melissa Lee what was happening all over again.

“Rodney Hide should feel aggrieved about being left out of the loop, but he should be reined in – and quickly.

“He was determined to ram through the legislation setting up the transition agency without public consultation. The legislation gives the agency draconian powers to seize control of Auckland’s councils and assets, yet lacks any mechanisms to make it accountable to the public.

“What will be considered very cynical here however, is if the Government simply delays the appointments process unless its public meetings are finished. It’s time to tell the public what’s really going on here Mr Key.”

ENDS

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