Trade union leader to guide council staff merger

The agency designing Auckland's Super City has hired trade union leader Laila Harre to help it merge 6800 employees of the eight councils into one.

Ms Harre has resigned as national secretary of the Distribution Workers Union to take on a human resources and change management role with the agency, which has to forge the new Auckland Council by October 2010.

Her appointment brings the number of executives working at the Auckland Transition Agency to 10, in addition to a board of five.

Ms Harre said the effect of the merger on council staff in an area from Pukekohe to Wellsford would not be known until the agency had set up an operational structure for the future council.

"I see this as an opportunity to make the Auckland Council an excellent workplace.

"How staff find the change process will be at the heart of that.

"I expect to start by a doing a lot of listening."

Ms Harre was Alliance MP from 1996 to 2002 and served in the Labour-Alliance coalition as Minister of Women's Affairs.

Later she continued as Alliance president and worked for the NZ Nurses Organisation until taking on the union role four years ago.

Other new appointments are lawyer and rugby administrator Rob Fisher, investment banker Andy Coupe and former Manukau City Council chief executive Colin Dale.

Agency executive chairman Mark Ford said the four new appointments would work "as and when required".

The agency's board appointed by the Government is Mr Ford, Miriam Dean, QC, John Waller, John Law and Wayne Walden.

They are supported by a team working under contract or seconded from councils or council organisations.

The team includes Rodney District Council chief executive Rodger Kerr-Newell, former Papakura Mayor David Hawkins, former Treasury official Chris McKenzie, previously executive officer for the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance Heather Harris, former senior Auckland Regional Council staff Craig Shearer and Kerry Connolly, and water engineer David Blow.

Ms Harre's successor at the distribution union is Robert Reid, who is president of the 20,000-member union.

Waiheke Island will get a new waste management scheme after the agency confirmed a council decision to award a new 10-year contract to Transpacific Industries.

The $21.44 million contract covers the island's rubbish and recycling collections and the redevelopment of the transfer station.

The new waste service includes a choice of using bags or bins like those used in Auckland city, retaining a weekly recycling collection, and a new transfer station to be developed on Ostend Rd.

The scheme will save Auckland ratepayers $6 million over 10 years.