[Sitting date: 04 December 2014. Volume:702;Page:8. Text is subject to correction.]

7. RON MARK (NZ First) to the Minister of Local Government : Does she have confidence in the Local Government Commission?

Hon PAULA BENNETT (Minister of Local Government): Yes.

Ron Mark : Will she continue to have confidence in the Local Government Commission if councils that believe that their consultation process was biased and predetermined call for a judicial review, and will she apply the three strikes rule to the Local Government Commission if this third attempt to force an unwelcome amalgamation fails like the previous two have?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : In response to the last part, I understand that the member has a stance where he disagrees. That is his right. Actually, all of the Wellington region do not necessarily agree with him. I welcome the debate. I have confidence in the Local Government Commission. We will see what the process is. [Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER : Order!

Ron Mark : I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. [Interruption]

Mr SPEAKER : Order! It is a point of order. It will be heard in silence.

Ron Mark : The assertion that was just thrown at me across the House by the Minister of Defence was that I am a double-dipper. Can I assure the House that I resigned my appointment as the mayor. I am not double-dipping—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member has taken an opportunity [Interruption] Order! The member has taken the opportunity, but it is not strictly a point of order. We will now move to the supplementary question.

Rt Hon Winston Peters : I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. If that Minister is allowed to get away with that comment, there is going to be disorder in this House. It is a serious—

Mr SPEAKER : Order! The member will resume his seat. [Interruption] Order! I hope the member will take some time to study the Standing Orders and Speaker’ Rulings over the Christmas break. If the member Ron Mark was offended by the remark, he could have risen to his feet and said that he was offended, and on that basis I would have asked for the remark to be withdrawn. The member took his point of order, used it incorrectly, and managed to state what he wanted to state to the House. I think that clarified the matter. But in future, if members are taken aback by a remark, then there is an appropriate process to go through.

Ron Mark : Will she retain her confidence in the Local Government Commission when it makes assertions that the Wairarapa cannot afford to govern itself because many of its people work in Wellington, some people in Wellington own houses in the Wairarapa, and because they will not be able to afford the irrigation project when she knows that the Greater Wellington Regional Council is not funding that project without assistance from her Government’s wonderful and insightful irrigation acceleration fund?

Mr SPEAKER : Order! Bring the question to a close .

Hon PAULA BENNETT : I think the answer to that is yes. What the Local Government Commission has done is put out a draft plan. It is a draft plan, so now it seeks the voices of the people. I say let them be heard. Submit. Have differences of agreement on points as you like to. This should not be done through this House. It is independent. It has put its draft plan forward. Let the voices of the Wellington region be heard through the proper process.

Marama Fox : Does the Minister agree with the Human Rights Commission that unless positive steps are taken, Māori representation in local government will continue to languish well below the proportion of Māori in the population; if so, what advice has she received from the Local Government Commission about increasing Māori representation?

Mr SPEAKER : That is a question that is relatively wide of the mark of the original. I will allow it if the Minister is—

Hon PAULA BENNETT : I will answer it. Yes, I certainly agree with the sentiment that unless positive steps are taken then Māori representation in local government will continue to languish. I just do not necessarily think it is the role of central government to actually facilitate that.

Marama Fox : Does the Minister believe that Basil Morrison was being jocular when he suggested that “Local boards ensure the local is preserved in local government.” in light of the proposed reorganisation; if not, in what way does this proposed reorganisation preserve local authority?

Mr SPEAKER : Either of those supplementary questions can be answered by the Minister.

Hon PAULA BENNETT : The local government commissioner is independent. I certainly have read his statements about the local being in local, and I think that you can just see it in local boards that they are certainly locally represented.

Hon Trevor Mallard : Why did her Government remove the right of the citizens of each of the territorial local authorities in the Hutt to decide whether their cities amalgamate?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : Because we think it is important that the region decides as a whole.

Mr SPEAKER : Supplementary question to Trevor Mallard. [Interruption] Order! Would the member to my left show some respect to his colleague who is asking a supplementary question.

Hon Trevor Mallard : In light of the Minister’s expressed preference for a coordinated approach, will she support the local government approach where they have divided the economic development responsibilities that used to sit in one city—Wellington City—into four local boards?

Hon PAULA BENNETT : Where we are different—and where we differ—is that I think it is up to the local people to decide how that structure is. I do not see it as being a central government position. The Local Government Commission has put forward its proposal. I understand that the local councils are talking about the four combining. Let the people be heard, and let there be a debate on where it currently is.

ENDS

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