Editorial: Aucklanders must vote for harmony

The past three years have witnessed a quiet revolution in Auckland local body politics. Where once there was an unhealthy discord, there has been unity as the region's seven cities and one regional council worked collectively on issues. Most significantly, the mayoral forum has, in the main, sung in harmony. The upshot has been agreement on a regional transport strategy and other issues that have vexed the region for decades.

If such progress is to be maintained, Auckland needs to speak with a single voice. That, more than anything else, is at stake in the local body elections, the results of which should be known on Saturday night. Continued cooperation between the region's mayors is, of course, reliant on the attitudes and agendas of the successful candidates. Rampant ego and self-interest run counter to the cultivation of the wider good. The mayoral forum is only a loose coalition. As such, it could easily be splintered, or even rendered inoperative, by just one discordant voice.

The recent harmony has, in many ways, laid the groundwork for what must surely follow - Auckland as one super city. The present Auckland mayor has suggested holding a referendum with three options for changing how the region is run. These encompass a super city swallowing the seven councils and one regional council, three cities with a regional council or beefing up the regional council to leave the seven councils as little more than community boards.

The super city concept makes easily the most sense. Finally, and unequivocally, there would be a logical approach to services such as roads, sewerage and water that traverse the boundaries of the present councils. Finally, one city would no longer be burdened by expenses for facilities and events - be they a stadium or a Santa parade - which clearly benefit its neighbours' residents as much as its own.

It would be nice to think that this will be the last occasion on which Aucklanders will have to elect a host of councils, that by 2004 a super city will exist. Much will depend, of course, on overcoming the suspicions of the politicians in Wellington. Many will be wary of a rival power bloc, perhaps of a different political persuasion, even if the Prime Minister has acknowledged that some of Auckland's services would best be handled regionally. Equally importantly, local body politicians must be willing to put the region's interests first, all the while knowing they may be jeopardising their own positions.

The local body elections give Aucklanders the opportunity to signal clearly that they favour harmony over discord, that they favour setting in train an amalgamated Auckland and that they recognise that a return to disunity would dissipate any sense of purpose - and meaningful progress.

In other areas of the upper North Island the issues may be more bread and butter, but they are no less significant. In particular, there is evidence in some cities of dissatisfaction with the pace and purpose of development. The retirement of several mayors has left their deputies with far more strenuous struggles on their hands than might have been imagined.

These elections are particularly important because legislation before Parliament will give councils more discretion in the services they provide. That is all the more reason to pay close attention to the calibre, causes and credentials of the candidates. And to decide who best blends vision with harmony.

Feature: Local body elections 2001

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