11. Dr WAYNE MAPP (National—North Shore) Link to this
to the Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues
Does she stand by her statement that “The proposal for a Greater Auckland Council, with clearly defined responsibilities, would provide enhanced regional government as well as good local government.”; if so, will the Government be introducing legislation this year to actually establish a Greater Auckland council?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD (Minister with responsibility for Auckland Issues) Link to this
Yes. The Government is yet to complete its discussions with Auckland’s local authorities and the Auckland Regional Council on proposals for strengthening Auckland’s regional governance. The need for, and timing of, any legislation will be made once final decisions have been taken.
In the event that the House ever actually sees this legislation, will the legislation ensure that all decisions of regional significance—for instance, regional roading or, indeed, the redevelopment of the waterfront—would be made by the Greater Auckland council?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
The Local Government Act 2002 makes very broad provision for regional and local government taking responsibility for roading and other resource management issues.
The Auckland waterfront is jointly owned by Ports of Auckland Ltd, which is owned by Auckland Harbour Holdings, the Auckland City Council, and private owners. There has been significant discussion chaired mainly, I think, by the Auckland City Council on the future development of the waterfront. Local roads are now the responsibility of the Auckland Regional Transport Authority. Transit and local authorities, through the regional land transport committee, are responsible for strategic development of the transport network. I am sure that the work being done in Auckland will improve that process. It is reasonably well understood now by people in Auckland—except for the member.
Now that the Minister has outlined her plethora of organisations in Auckland to deal with all these important issues, including, apparently, the local crescent near my neighbourhood, will she ensure that one plan—one plan; not a series of ideas and strategies—would involve the amalgamation of all the district plans, so that ratepayers and businesses would have a single set of planning and consent rules to comply with?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
There is a process, which is being described as the One Auckland Plan, which will bring together the strategic alignment of roading, economic development, some environmental water quality and air quality, and other issues, being developed now within the general framework of the regional growth strategy, whether Auckland chooses to have one scheme. But my particular concern is that we get on and do things practically, together, that we can now, as well as plan well for the future, rather than worrying about the structure first and the projects later.
Given the enthusiasm of the Minister to get things done now, what has she actually done to secure legislation to ensure that one plan will be introduced, or is she more interested in her busy diary and attending events like the brick exhibition, or the arrival of an 80-year-old tram; would it not be better for her to spend her valuable time dealing with the real, pressing issues of our city?
Hon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
Events at the Museum of Transport and Technology, and arts, culture, and heritage events featuring one of New Zealand’s most well-known ceramicists at a new gallery in west Auckland, in Waitakere City, are great fun and also very useful. I have no trouble in multitasking, regardless of how hard that member would find it.
Hone HarawiraTēnā koe to the Minister. Does she think a Greater Auckland council would have avoided the public relations disaster that occurred over moves to register the city’s volcanoes as Unesco World Heritage sites without bothering to consult tangata whenua, and what is she proposing to do about the cultural offence caused by that typically JAFA demonstration of cultural insensitivity?
Madam SPEAKERHon JUDITH TIZARD Link to this
I know that the tangata whenua of Auckland have been involved with the Metro Project, the START project, most of the transport work, and many other processes that are happening in Auckland. I need to remind the House that Auckland does cover over one-sixth of New Zealand’s land area and has nearly one-third of New Zealand’s population. Things are not quite as simple as they are in Kaitāia. But I am very happy that Ministers, agencies, and local authorities are working very hard with iwi authorities and urban Māori authorities to consult thoroughly and well on all of these processes. Sometimes someone drops the ball, but I do not think it was anyone here.
Rt Hon Winston Peters Link to this
I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. I do not know whether you heard that, or intend to overlook it, but surely, so close to the proclamation of this very important code of conduct yesterday, which was signed by the Māori Party, we cannot have the kind of language we just heard, referring, appropriately or otherwise, to a member being just another JAFA. We know what that expression means, and I think if we are going to have a code of conduct, then surely it should last more than 24 hours.