KEY POINTS:
If anyone doubts the need for streamlining Auckland regional governance, consider for a moment the tortuous progress of the Regional Amenities Funding Bill.
This is the private bill, backed by Auckland City, which would spread the community share of funding 10 key cultural and rescue and safety organisations
across the whole region.
On Monday, officials from the Department of Internal Affairs and the Auckland Regional Council will meet at the request of Parliament's local government and environment committee with representatives of the various "amenities", to try to hammer out a solution. It could be a long night.
The bill, as proposed, is modelled on the acts providing regional funding for Auckland War Memorial Museum and the Museum of Transport and Technology. Funding is to be channelled through each of the seven territorial local councils. But at the February hearings of the select committee, politicians and submitters alike almost unanimously asked the obvious: why isn't regional funding coming via the ARC.
That was certainly the proposal of most of the territorial local authorities, but the ARC politicians did not take the hint - or the lead - and came up with several arguments against. They wanted the issue left until the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance reported back.
They thought the idea of an independent panel allotting ratepayers' money without politicians being involved was undemocratic. They feared for their careers, worried that ratepayers might revolt if rates went up as a result.
The National Party made it clear that its crucial support for the bill was dependent on the ARC becoming the funder.
Last month the committee wrote to the bill's promoters asking them to consider altering the legislation along these lines.
The promoters don't care who collects the money as long as someone does. In an effort to woo the ARC, an official "adviser" was appointed to the select committee. As far as I can discern, this has done nothing to weaken the regional body's opposition to being the rating authority. Nor has it changed the committee's view.
It's hard to imagine that come Monday, the ARC will suddenly see the light and come on board. But supporters of the bill have a couple of weeks to work on them. The select committee has asked for a response by July 1.
Now would be the time to get those letters and emails flying to your regional councillor.
It's so predictably Auckland that the organisation that common sense says should be at the centre of this bill is refusing to play ball.
The bill needs National Party support to get passed. That's not going to happen without the proposed change.
ARC chairman Mike Lee said both at the hearings and yesterday that if told to do it by law, then the ARC would have no choice but to. That's the choice the select committee could make. But it's hardly a great start to the brave new world.
Worryingly, the ARC has been floating the idea that there's no need for the bill anyway.
Organisations are welcome to turn up each year at regional headquarters and request funding and ARC politicians would come over all generous and start forking out the cash.
There are two answers to that. First, this hasn't happened in any consistent, coherent way in the past, so why now?
Second, how could any organisation, arts or rescue, survive on funding that depends on the yearly whims of elected officials?
In an ideal world, leaving regional funding to the royal commission to sort out would make sense.
But several of the organisations involved are hurting now. Even if the bill is passed into law this year, the new funding won't come into effect until the 2009 financial year. But this is much sooner than any governance reform could take effect.
And there are no guarantees that if or when that happens, funding for the affected organisations will feature.
Another worry: if the bill doesn't get back into Parliament soon, it risks becoming part of the flotsam and jetsam of any change of government this year.
If you want the Auckland Theatre Company, the National Maritime Museum and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra to survive, and organisations like the helicopter rescue service and surf lifesaving to be there when you need them, now would be a good time to let your ARC councillor know.
