Quarter of Auckland to go to Kaipara and Northland?

EMBARGOED UNTIL 9am on 25 August 2009

Rumours that the Government has made a secret decision to carve off about a quarter of Auckland and put it in Kaipara and Northland have alarmed the Auckland Regional Council (ARC).

“We understand that the Government may have decided to move the Auckland region’s northern boundary as far south as Waiwera, and transfer land north of Waiwera to the Kaipara District Council and Northland Regional Council,”ARC Chairman Mike Lee said today.

“This comes as a complete surprise. There has been no consultation and it raises questions whether the Government is acting in good faith. I would have thought they would have wanted to consult the people of Auckland on a decision of this scale.

“The Government had the opportunity to do that during recent Select Committee deliberations around the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill but chose not to.

“To me, this smacks of political patronage and deals being done behind closed doors when I thought the Government assured us of transparency around decisions to do with the Super City.”

Mr Lee said the Auckland region comprises only 2 per cent of New Zealand's land mass and one third of the country lives here. Auckland is the fastest growing region in the country.

“Auckland is only 5000km2 and home to approximately 1.4 million people while Northland covers 12,500km2 and is home to only 155,000 people. Any decision to substantially reduce the size of Auckland and increase the size of Northland makes no sense.

“It will also do nothing to ensure that Auckland’s future growth and development is integrated and carefully managed. That’s what I thought the Government wanted through the Super City reforms.”

Mr Lee said Rodney has been part of Auckland since 1846.

“It is a place where Aucklanders live and where Aucklanders and visitors to Auckland go to play. It has at least eight popular regional parks and hundreds of superb beaches.

“Research also shows that of the people who live in northern Rodney and work outside the area, almost 85 per cent travel south to Auckland while comparatively few cross the boundary into Northland.

“Furthermore, no one in Warkworth is going to want to drive for almost two and a half hours to Dargaville on council business when it would take them less than an hour to drive to Auckland to do the same.”

Mr Lee said making Waiwera Auckland’s northern boundary would disadvantage Rodney and Kaipara residents as the economies of these areas are intertwined with Auckland’s.

“Auckland ratepayers currently help pay for services provided in Rodney and Kaipara, including public transport, stormwater management and pollution response, biosecurity and pest control, and regional parks. If the northern boundary of Auckland was changed, the money for these services would need to be found elsewhere.”

Mr Lee said he understood the Kaipara District Council and Northland Regional Council have both indicated their support for a northern boundary change.

“I suspect they have been seduced by the lure of additional rating revenue. However, I also suspect they have little understanding of the challenges that would come with that revenue – the sheer number of ratepayers, the services they will require, the capital investment needed in infrastructure, and the expectations of ratepayers.”

Mr Lee has written to Government Ministers reminding them that the Royal Commission looked carefully at Auckland’s northern boundary and rejected any change. This was reflected in the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill.

ENDS

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