Napier MP Stuart Nash's Local Government Act 2002 (Greater Local Democracy) Bill will be debated by Parliament after being pulled from the Member's ballot today.
Stuart Nash says the National Government opened the door to forced super councils through its local government reforms in 2012.
"My Bill will reinstate the
requirement for a ratepayer referendum to be held in each affected district or region to ensure there is majority support for any amalgamation.
"This is particularly important in my own region where opinion is divided on a proposed super council for Hawke's Bay.
"John Key promised before he became Prime Minister he would not to force a super city on Auckland. He got into office and broke that promise.
"My Bill will give ratepayers a say in what happens in their districts and cities. I will work hard with other political parties to gain their support to restore democracy to local communities," Mr Nash said.
In reaction, the chairman of A Better Hawke's Bay, Rebecca Turner, said that Stuart Nash's Bill was fundamentally flawed. "This would mean that the 14 or so affected people in Rangitikei, would be able to stop the wishes of the majority of Hawke's Bay people. It seems like all this bill does is stop the democratic right of the entire region."
Ms Turner said this was exactly why A Better Hawke's Bay pushed for a vote, so Hawke's Bay people could decide whether they want amalgamation of our councils.
"Stuart Nash's Bill would give the people of Rangitikei the power to block the wishes of all the other 110,000 voters in Hawke's Bay."
"It's poor law-making from a populist politician - he's just trying to get a headline rather than think about the rights of all the people in his Napier electorate," she said.
