Just for once, let Aucklanders have a say III

Today is the last day of a referendum asking Aucklanders whether they approve of the way in which the Government is setting up the new Auckland Council. To vote, go to www.ourauckland.org.nz and make your voice heard before 5pm today, May 14. Here are more responses to the referendum:
I was all in favour of amalgamation for Auckland. However, the decisions that have been made by the Government prevent Aucklanders living in a democratic city. I am opposed to the city being run by CCOs which are not accountable to Aucklanders and are appointed by central Government.
The recommendations put forward by the Royal Commisson established by the previous government were ideal for this vibrant, multi-cultural city which I love.
To give Rodney Hide the local government portfolio was a mistake John Key will live to regret. Rodney does not have a clue about democracy.
Joan Caulfield
Parnell
Waiheke Island is already 20 years into the amalgamation process. The results have been disastrous to the community so far. There is open disregard for the wishes of the community and the interests of the council office take precedence to the needs of the community.
Waiheke Island is a fragile island community; environmentally, socially and financially. The sentiments expressed below capture what we are already experiencing. The few small gains are outweighed by the immense detrimental effects the city government has had on the island community because the island does not fit in with their chosen definition of Waiheke as a "suburb". The list of failures grows daily, with financial and other negative impacts to local ratepayers and residents.
This is just a partial list:
1. Wharf rebuild. Instead of looking at the needs of the commuting residents who use the ferry year-round, the terminal was designed for summer tourist traffic. The large interior of the wharf has no services for residents, except for the ferry ticketing booth and a coffee vendor, the rest of the large space is for tourists to sit and wait for their ferry, or hire cars. There used to be a covering from the car park to the ferry so people would get onto the ferry dry. That has been replaced by a sun shade that provides no protection from wind or rain so commuters wait in the cold and wet for the ferry.
2. Pubilc toilets. All of the sustainable, waterless toilets/changing rooms at the beaches were replaced by chrome metro-style single toilet, electric-locking facilities. They are operated remotely from the mainland. These may function well in the city but due to corrosion and sand/salt damage they spend large amounts of time out of service leaving residents with no facilities. The beach changing rooms were not replaced so people at those beaches have no place to change. They have changed the toilets over to bore water which endangers the island's water supply. Again this seems designed to appeal to the visitors as opposed to sustainable functionality.
3. Paving. There are few sidewalks on the island, and narrow roads make it dangerous for foot traffic. Instead of aiming for building new footpaths to cover dangerous areas, footpaths with no visible damage to them are regularly dug up and replaced because the city has allocation for upgrades but not creation, so the island doesn't get what it needs, just a wasteful, pointless upgrade.
4. The waste issue. Probably one of the more famous Waiheke battles. Although it could not be proven in a court of law, the fact is the council utilised it's C&R majority to enact a "pay-back" on Waiheke residents. The community waste management programme was precious to the island. The island community had won the battle to keep out the Matiatia development in 2005/06. Call it retribution. There was no basis, no credible defence for not supporting the community's waste programme, they were able to stick it to the island and they did. The loss of sustainable waste management on the island will prove the most harmful of all the poor council decisions, as the current services are unsustainable, so the island will be stuck with the consequences when petrol prices make it unprofitable for them to continue. What will the island do then?
5. Emergency response. The recent tsunami alert highlighted the island's vulnerability. All actions for civil defence must be authorised by an off-island authority. That authority was not available during the crisis, and was not aware of the crisis for some time, and yet the local civil defence officer was prohibited from taking action until they were given the go-ahead. This is not safe or practical for an island community over half an hour by boat removed from the mainland.
These and many other examples I could give highlight the very serious implications of the coming amalgamation.
We are undoubtedly heading into a time of unpredictable changes. All around the world cities, states and nations are making forward-thinking plans, to prepare their communities to be as resilient as possible. These all involve investing authority locally. Yet perversely at this time New Zealand is pursuing goals heading the country in the opposite direction. It is a matter of national urgency, to address what will become a national emergency of unknown size and scope.
In the past, cushioned by colonial support and subsequently commonwealth satus and relatively cheap oil, New Zealand's choices did not carry life or death consequences. We do not have the luxury at this time to indulge this government in their experiment to try to return us to some imagined idyllic capitalist dream state. This government is acting in a juvenile and irresponsible fashion. This is so serious it keeps me up at night. Instead of making at least baby steps in the direction of preparation for change, we are steaming in the other direction.
Waiheke will feel it more acutely because we will be cut off more quickly and have fewer resources to draw from, which is why we are so acutely aware of the fatal consequences of this governmental folly. We will not only be paying for this with higher rates, we will be paying for this with lives as the foolish government plans come undone and it is discovered that at best we don't have the means to continue with even a modicum of the quality of life we now enjoy.
Millie Watkins
Waiheke Island