10. Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) Link to this
to the Minister of Local Government
What opportunities will he make available to the people of Auckland to be consulted over the Government’s decisions about Auckland local government reform?
Hon RODNEY HIDE (Minister of Local Government) Link to this
The people of Auckland have been consulted, and they will be further consulted. The people of Auckland have made their views crystal clear. The Government has listened, and accordingly has provided for one mayor and one council for Auckland, while ensuring what is important for Aucklanders—their local representation through local boards. The people of Auckland will also have the opportunity to participate in the select committee process later this year.
Does he agree with Tony McGowan of Community Waitakere that the Government’s “take it or leave it” attitude was incredibly arrogant, and that in 2 days the Government has overturned a decision that took a year, millions of dollars, and 3,500 submissions to make; if not, why not?
No, I do not, which should not come as a surprise to that member. The Government has consulted through the royal commission process since receiving the royal commission report. That is why we listened to Auckland and provided for local representation. The Government will consult through the website www.Auckland.govt.nz, which has had over 10,000 visits and over 25,000 page views in the past 48 hours. The Government will be consulting through the transition process and, indeed, through the select committee process. What I will say, though, is that this is a Government that consults, listens, then makes decisions, and, most important for Auckland, acts—something that the previous Government never did.
How can the Minister maintain his positive disposition and belief that Māori will gain from the local government reform, when Dr Sharples’ office is organising a hīkoi, and a report from the Māori Party identifies the situation as hiding racism, and states that there ain’t a dog’s show of Māori getting a favourable result from any poll?
I am a lot more optimistic than the member Shane Jones, who demonstrably cannot get elected—demonstrably cannot get elected. It is my job as Minister of Local Government to ensure good government at the local level around New Zealand, especially in Auckland. To have good government we need the input of Māori, and I want to say here publicly that the Prime Minister has directed me to engage with Māori, to involve Māori in the decision making, and also to encourage Māori to stand for the council in Auckland, and for the local boards. Unlike Shane Jones, I believe that there are Māori who can stand, and that Auckland will vote for them.
Does the Minister agree with the Auckland mayor, John Banks, that “Low-level, unseemly sort of seagull behaviour and rain-dancing never helps in the process.”, and “If these people think that by jumping up and down as a small minority group they are going to bully Rodney and his coalition Government, they’re mistaken.”; and are these comments not representative of his attitude, and the Government’s broader attitude, to Māoridom in general?
This Government has listened to Auckland, and has consulted. It has then made the all-important decisions for Auckland, and is acting on them. This Government is committed to engaging with the civic and city leaders of Auckland, and, more particularly, with Māori interests, and with the many diverse ethnic and cultural interests across Auckland. But members should bear in mind that Auckland governance is broken; it needs fixing. This is the Government that will do it.