Independent poll results in today’s Herald are an indictment of the Government’s handling of the Auckland reforms. Pure and simple.
A majority of Aucklanders believe they will be personally worse off under the super city. Fifty percent more people disagreed than agreed with the suggestion Auckland would be a better place to live under the super city.
Even the Government’s main selling point, that the amalgamation would improve management of the region, is not believed by most Aucklanders.
After a year of John Key putting a smiley face on the creation of the super city, these poll numbers show Aucklanders are far from convinced.
But this is not in my view just a failure of political management.
Aucklanders have real concerns and the Government could address them in the third super city bill which is due to be passed later this month.
First, they should legislate to guarantee real decision-making and rule-making powers to local boards, and give power back to communities.
Second, they should back off imposing council owned companies on Auckland, for example in transport. Don’t treat Auckland as a corporation. Give the power back to the Auckland Council to decide whether it wants to set up these CCOs.
Third, don’t take away Aucklanders’ right to decide in a referendum whether the ports of Auckland get sold.
In the mean time, Aucklanders can have a say by voting in the people’s referendum organised by Our Auckland. It’s the vote on the super city the Government wouldn’t let you have. Voting closes at 5pm today.
The independent Herald poll results are indeed interesting, and just goes to show that Aucklanders have worked out what this Nact government is really up to. I think you should go further than giving the local boards real powers legislated in statute, and make them actual units of local government under the LG Act, not just ‘unincorporated societies’ under the nasty Hide plan.
yawn, most Aucklanders don’t give a damn. Its hardy BBQ talk
If I were Mr Key, I would be worrying about this. This is not something that can be held back, pragmatically canned or otherwise dodged. We don’t like his candidate, and we don’t like his model, and we don’t much like his messenger. And we are a third of the country.
Phil, you cannot legislate for local board powers. If you do then the ultra vires maxim comes into play. Anything which a local board does that is remotely outside of the legislated powers could be unlawful. Community Boards at present have a hotchpotch of powers and delegations, but not through legislation. The focus should be on ensuring the ATA and also the Council delegates properly and sets out clearly what the powers are. Legislation on this would be a disaster.
Great to see Len Brown polling so well too. Looks like Banks is in a lot of trouble.
When is John Banks actually going to do some campaigning? The polls might be a little different then.
David, Banks has been campaigning for months… If his lips move, he’s campaigning. Strategically making himself look like he will challenge Hide and others, when he has to have had a MAJOR philosophy transplant not to be privately applauding this all the way to implementation.
To be fair I don’t think Banks, Michael Barnett, Newmarkit Biz Association etc.. and the Chamber of Commerce are all that impressed by the way Key, Hide and Joyce have dealt with this. Although the latter three now live in the Auckland region, its worth remembering they are all recent blown ins. Remember it was the Chamber of Commerce and the Auckland Mayors who were the driving forces behind Royal Commission. The RC never envisaged the nuclear destruction of the current structure- this is all creation of Key, Hide and Joyce (the three blown-ins?)
I’d suggest everyone join the campaign of a candidate they believe in as the first council is by far the most important…
If we take into account the 1989 reforms most of the councils are still working towards the plans set in place by the first councils…
Do we want to be working (in broad terms) towards Brown or Banks vision in 20 years..? I know which I want in place… The stakes are high…
…We don’t like his candidate, and we don’t like his model, and we don’t much like his messenger. And we are a third of the country.
Good points Robert. Personally I hope this gives the NAT/ACT/Maori party government reason to rethink the whole model before it is rolled out across the other two thirds of the country.
Phil, is there any chance that this level of discontent will cause the Auckland reforms to be halted, or is the train moving too fast to stop?
Sean – I cannot imagine them stopping the juggernaut at this stage. It will roll on, leaving destruction in its path. Would they back away from something as central as the transport CCO? It would be a huge climbdown….who knows?
Gooner – There is plenty of legal opinion around that you can legislate for powers of local boards without going to hell in a handbasket. It would be a less flexible option but at least it would guarantee real decision making powers for local communities, which many submitters to the select committee felt was a more important outcome than the flexibility.
Oooooh I hope NACT keep *******-off Aucklanders.
I actually don’t personally favour empowered local boards but Hide made such a song and dance about them I damn well want him to keep to something he’s said, just exposes what a hypocritical, lying little toad he is…
*rant over*
Hyde is a puppet.
These sort of thing don’t happen by accident, they are well planned with long term prospects for profit – and not by for ratepayers.
I will be very surprised if the business round table or the Camber of Commerce seriously oppose the move.
Infrastructure in private hands is a sound money maker.
Sweetd
A yawn and a BBQ ?.
Agree wholeheartedly John W.
Thanks Phil for the reply. I have always thought legislating for them was the best option, but legal beagles convinced me otherwise. Now you say there are legal beagles who say the opposite! Perhaps a post on those legal views would be useful.