Submissions focus committee’s minds

Rodney residents presented their views on changes in Auckland Governance to the select committee on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill last month.

The committee heard submissions at Northridge Country Lodge in Wainui on July 10. Associate Minister for Local Government John Carter, who chairs the select committee, described the submissions as high quality and invaluable in helping the select committee focus on the issues.

“The key will be making the right divisions between regional and local issues and powers,” Mr Carter said. “A lot of submissions asked for greater functions and powers for local boards. However, Auckland is in this state because certain planning decisions were made ad hoc locally. We will need the wisdom of Solomon to sort it out.”

Mr Carter quizzed various submitters on their views on creating a northern boundary for the Auckland Council at Waiwera and confirmed this was one possibility being considered.

“We must decide whether Rodney has the strength to operate as a unitary authority and whether the linkages, such as people commuting from Whangaparaoa and Warkworth to Auckland, make Rodney part of Auckland or not.”

Select committee member David Garrett said although boundaries are still to be decided upon, realistically there are only two options for Rodney – the creation of a unitary authority, or amalgamation with Auckland Council with one or two local boards for the region.

The select committee received 2489 submissions on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill. The committee deliberates this month and reports to Parliament by September 4.

Present at the hearing Auckland Governance select committee hearing in Wainui were – back, from left chair John Carter, Dr Ashraf Choudhary, Su’a William Sio and Phil Twyford; front, from left, Nikki Kaye and Dr Jackie Blue.