More than 3000 submissions have poured into the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance.

The overwhelming majority are from individuals, but more than 300 organisations and interested groups from Auckland and elsewhere have strong ideas on how Auckland should be run for the next 50 years.

Today, the Herald begins a snapshot of who is thinking what.

EMPLOYERS AND MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (NORTHERN)
A single super city made up of 21 councillors and 21 "local councils" with five members each is at the core of the association's submission to the royal commission.

With the One Auckland Trust and New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development, it has been at the forefront of a "Fix Auckland" campaign that last year came up with the "One Auckland" proposal.

Essentially, the One Auckland plan abolishes the current system of seven territorial councils and regional council and replaces its with a Greater Auckland Council, headed by a mayor elected by all voters and a single administration.

The Greater Auckland Council would have responsibility for all infrastructure and assets of the region.

Local councils - like community boards but more powerful - would have responsibility and the ability to levy local rates for services and amenities such as local parks, libraries, recreation centres and community events.

There would be a single rates bill, which would include the regional and local components.

The submission says "the Auckland region needs unified leadership, with a clear strategy, backed by a highly effective management structure ... most importantly it needs inclusive democratic structures and processes".

AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
The number of entities dealing with transport in Auckland is so high, the areas of responsibility so diverse, that the status quo is best described as a shambolic mess, says the AA.

The association, which represents 265,000 Auckland motorists, wants one entity to be in charge of Auckland's regional transport infrastructure.

Central government transport agencies should hand over their responsibilities for Auckland to the new entity.

To maintain accountability, the chief executive of the Auckland transport entity should report to a body of elected representatives, who would be responsible for other regional infrastructure activities.

The submission says: "Too often have we seen the underlying political differences that exist between Auckland's seven local authorities, between the local and regional authorities, and between local and central government transport agencies, result in poor transport decision making and a lack of co-ordination."

AUCKLAND REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY
Making transport work is becoming more difficult because of the number of agencies, infrastructure not meeting demand and growth pressures, says the transport division of the Auckland Regional Council.