Media Release

City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council

Thursday 10 December 2009

3rd Auckland Bill a Damp Squib

The text of the 3rd Auckland Bill that was made public today raises many more questions while providing few answers, say City Vision-Labour councillors.  The Bill provided a few more details on the operation of the transport, waterfront and Watercare Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) and provides for a Maori Board along with Pacific Island and ethnic advisory boards but gives scant information on the powers and roles of local boards.

Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward Councillor Richard Northey said, “This 3rd Auckland Bill is a damp squib.  It fails totally to clarify what powers the new local boards will have.  This will mean no one will know whether they have suitable skills, interests and time to serve as Board members.  It also means that the Auckland Council will have the power randomly to grab powers over services that ought to be decided and delivered by Boards that are close to where people live.”

Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward Councillor Leila Boyle said, “I am deeply worried about the provisions being made for CCOs.  The new Auckland Council should decide which CCOs to have and how they are to be governed rather than the National-ACT government imposing their corporatisedworld view on Auckland governance through their inflexible legislation.  I hope voters elect councillors to the new Auckland Council who support democratic accountability.  I find it absolutely outrageous that the Government will impose its views on this new regional body when every other local authority in the country has the ability to make its own decisions on the governance and structure of these kinds of vital local assets and infrastructure.”

Eden-Albert Ward Councillor Cathy Casey said, “The main worry I have about the new structures is the very real possibility that there will be a great deal of tension between the Auckland Council and the local boards over local decisions.  The new Bill proposes that disputes will be resolved via the Local Government Commission with costs being met by whichever party is in the ‘wrong’.  In my experience, there is a healthy tension between the existing community boards and the Auckland City Council and boards frequently make decisions which the council doesn’t like but doesn’t have the power to overrule.  In the new structure, it is probable that many of the decisions of the proposed 19 local boards will be at odds with the political direction of the Auckland Council.  This will lead to a slew of disputes which will mean a full-time job for the Local Government Commission as mediators!”

Western Bays Ward Councillor Graeme Easte said, “I am pleased to see an immediate moratorium on assets sales but I am deeply suspicious that the lifting of that freeze after 2012 is signaling a fire sale of important infrastructure ahead.”

Eden-Albert Ward Councillor Glenda Fryer said, “We have already heard from both Ngati Whatua and Tainui who have indicated that they will not be supporting the proposed Maori boards and instead are campaigning for full seats at the council table.  How can these Maori boards can work without the support and buy-in from the two most predominant Auckland iwi?  National goes from one insult to another regarding Maori representation and involvement in the Auckland Council.”

Independent Hauraki Gulf Islands Councillor Denise Roche said, “This is not a great day for local democracy.  The third Bill makes a mockery of the promises for local decision-making being done locally.  The Bill says that the powers of the local boards will first of all be decided by the unelected and unaccountable Auckland Transition Agency (ATA).  Even if the ATA delegates substantial decision-making powers to local boards, these can all be overturned at the whim of the politicians who get elected to the new Auckland Council next year.  Local board powers and roles must be enshrined and protected in legislation in this 3rd Bill.”

ENDS

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