Aussies join amalgamation fray

Hawke's Bay awaits amalgamation "disaster" now the movement has taken off.

Hawke's Bay awaits amalgamation "disaster" if the region's five councils converge in a similar experience to Queensland, says an Australian lobby group.

But the transtasman warning is nothing more than an "orchestrated" attack by Bay anti-amalgamation supporters, says Hastings Mayor and Local Government NZ president Lawrence Yule and his Australian counterpart.

Queensland Local Government Reform Alliance (QLGRA) chairman Bob Johnson said yesterday the Sunshine State had been through years of amalgamation "disease" and "expensive and ineffective" merged local governments.

"While amalgamation might have looked like a 'bigger is better' option, I warn New Zealanders from falling into the same trap," he said.

A 2007 Reform Commission in Queensland under the then Labour State Government recommended the amalgamation of 157 councils to 73. But in 2013 four councils separated, including Noosa, where 80 per cent of residents voted to de-amalgamate the region.

However, Queensland Local Government Association chief executive Greg Hallam said QLGRA was a "very small outfit" with no voice for a now "dead" anti-amalgamation movement in Australia's third most populous state.

"We are seven years down the track now and I would say there is a universal acceptance (of amalgamation) barring a few councils ... it's not an issue here."

He said it was likely the QLGRA statements had been organised by those against any Hawke's Bay amalgamation.

Napier Mayor Bill Dalton denied this. "Neither DAD (Hawke's Bay Democratic Action Association) or I had even heard of the group. No one associated in any way with me or Napier City Council had anything to do with the release.

"In fact if I knew they existed I would have used them well before now."

He said amalgamation only works "where it makes sense" and Hawke's Bay "makes no sense at all".

The merging of the Taradale Borough and Napier City Council was an example of a successful amalgamation, while Queensland showed how smaller communities could be "lost in the wash", he added.

"It could all end up a disaster - Queensland is a perfect example for us."

He said the idea to merge urban and semi-urban councils with rural councils was a case of "empire building" on the part of small but powerful groups.

Napier City Council chief executive Wayne Jack reiterated that the council was not involved in yesterday's QLGRA comments.

Napier Labour MP Stuart Nash hoped to use Australian speakers to aid the anti-amalgamation campaign.

"With amalgamation you would remove the ability for a place like Wairoa to determine its own future ... Napier and Hastings would tend to dominate," Mr Nash said, who also feared for the smaller communities of the Central Hawke's Bay District Council.

He said if Hawke's Bay was to amalgamate there would be significant "compromise and antagonism" within the region.