Royal Commission gets it right for Auckland and NZ

Royal Commission gets it right for Auckland and New Zealand

NZCID media release 27th March 2009

The Government should implement the Royal Commission report on Auckland Governance subject to expanding the number of local councils to truly represent communities of interest across the Auckland region, says the New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development.

"The unified Auckland Council, the single infrastructure and spatial plans and the integrated transport and water agencies recommended by the Royal Commission all make good sense", says NZCID Chief Executive Stephen Selwood.

"But the otherwise excellent series of recommendations are compromised in part by the retention of six "local" councils.

"These are far too big to be local. Almost inevitably they will result in unnecessary patch protection and divided responsibilities between the local councils and the Auckland Council.

"What's required is a larger number of local councils that represent genuine communities of interest.

"That aside, the one Auckland proposal recommended by the Royal Commission provides the structure needed to achieve a step change in the provision of infrastructure services for Aucklanders and New Zealanders at large. We look forward to Government passing the legislation to get this in place for the 2010 local government elections.

ENDS

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