Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Tuesday 21 April 2009

C&R Challenged to Give All Councillors a Say on the Supercouncil

At Auckland City Council’s monthly meeting this Thursday evening City Vision Councillor Glenda Fryer will move a motion challenging Citizens and Ratepayers (C&R) Councillors to give all councillors membership and a vote on the powerful Regional Governance Committee which develops Council’s position on Auckland’s regional governance.  Last Wednesday, the Regional Governance Committee voted to restrict membership of this key committee to the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and three male councillors.  Glenda Fryer’s Extraordinary Notice of Motion will give the full Council the opportunity to reverse this decision.

Councillor Glenda Fryer said: “My motion would ensure all Councillors - even women, Opposition Councillors and Independents - have a say and a vote on regional governance issues.  The public, who elected us, wants to know where each of us Councillors stand on the key issues of the Government’s proposals for a massive upheaval in Auckland’s governance and decision-making structures, and to be sure we all have an equal say in these issues.  Surely now is the time for the wisdom and views of all councillors and the Auckland public to be brought to bear on the Government before irreversible decisions are made.”

Councillor Cathy Casey said: “I am appalled at broadcast statements by C&R councillors saying we are in charge now and we support the Government’s proposals, so get over it.  Mayor Banks has expressed similar views: ‘it's a done deal - just get on with it’.  The C&R councillors and Mr Banks are riding roughshod over the people of Auckland.  Right now, the people need and want to be given an opportunity to persuade the Minister to give the proposed Local Boards a powerful community voice to ensure that precious local identity is retained before the legislation is introduced.”

Councillor Graeme Easte said: “It is vital that all Councillors have a say and that councils across Auckland work together so that the Auckland public makes an informed response to the inadequacies in the Government’s proposal for the region. The Government’s proposed structures for Local Boards and for transport coordination are ill-formed and contradictory.  Aucklanders need to be able to put them right.”

Councillor Leila Boyle said, “I find it absolutely outrageous that John Banks and the C&R majority won’t let minority group and independent Councillors have a say on the National-led Government’s proposals for Auckland’s regional governance, and don’t want to hear what other Councillors and citizens think about this major issue confronting the region.  Clearly Banks and C&R see responding to community concerns and being accountable to the people of Auckland as a waste of their time.”

ENDS

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