Rodney Hide clips mayors' wings at talkfest

Rodney Hide runs up against some opposition from protesters. Photo / Paul Estcourt

Auckland mayors had their wings clipped when they met Local Government Minister Rodney Hide yesterday to push for a full ward system for the Super City.

Mr Hide has rejected a call from most mayors to have input on the representation issue before legislation for the Super City goes to Parliament.

Their opportunity to address the issue would come at the select committee process, he said.

The Government plans for eight of the 20 councillors to be elected at large, raising fears the system will favour political blocs and the rich and famous who can afford city-wide campaigns.

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster, who chaired the mayors' first talks with Mr Hide on the Super City, said the mayors had not bowed to the wishes of the Government.

"We all recognise we have to do something about Auckland and that is the main focus," she said.

The meeting decided to set up a working group of the mayors and council chief executives to work with the Government on the Super City structure and transition process.

There is a good chance mayors and chief executives will have some input beefing up the powers of 20 to 30 local boards under the super Auckland Council before legislation is introduced to Parliament.

Mr Hide said there would be differences of opinion between the mayors and Government, but was satisfied a process was in place to work these through. Final decisions, though, would be made by the Government.

"What we have got here, and by goodness we need it, is Auckland working together to get the best result for Auckland and New Zealand."

He said technical legislation to set up an establishment board overseeing the transition would be in place next month. Work would then begin on what he called "the Auckland Bill".

Auckland mayors were chipper about the meeting and the process of future involvement, with the rider that they and their communities still had concerns about aspects of the model.

Ms Webster echoed a common view a lot of detail was still to come.

Auckland City Mayor John Banks said he believed having eight councillors elected at large and 12 ward councillors was about right and would bring a greater regional focus to the Auckland Council, while reducing the potential for local pork-barrel politics.

But he said if the Government wanted consensus around a Super City council it had to work with the mayors to give substance to the local boards.

"I don't think we will keep the local in local government in Auckland unless there is quite a lot of decision-making," Mr Banks said.

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said it remained to be seen if the local boards would have real teeth.

Manukau Mayor Len Brown said the mayors got a template for moving forward, but no concessions.

He believed there were compelling arguments for a full ward electoral system and at some point the Government would start listening.

Papakura Mayor Calum Penrose said the challenge was to work with the Government to get the best outcome.

Labour local government spokesman Shane Jones said yesterday's talkfest and setting a working group was a sham consultation exercise because the Government's intentions were set in stone.