About 650 people turned up to last night's Hawke's Bay Today Great Amalgamation Debate.
About 650 people turned up to last night's Hawke's Bay Today Great Amalgamation Debate.
About 650 people packed a school hall to see the region's leaders go head-to-head on amalgamation last night.
There were promises, threats, catchy slogans and even a sing-along at the Hawke's Bay Today Great Amalgamation Debate.
Napier Mayor Bill Dalton opened the debate for the anti-amalgamation team, saying the current proposal was "not fit for purpose", claiming that it tries to fix things that did not come under the scope of local government. He said amalgamation was not a "silver bullet" that would fix the region's woes.
Pro-amalgamation speaker Ngahiwi Tomoana croons Side by Side during the debate.
The Local Government Commission was asking the region to undertake a "wild experiment" without proof of any benefit, Mr Dalton said.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, the one mayor in the region who openly supports amalgamation, said he started this journey because the region languished at the bottom of the social statistics.
"If we had a report card at school it would say: Trying hard, could do better."
Stuart Nash works the crowd for the anti-amalgamation team.
Mr Yule accused the people opposing change of spreading fear but said if change did occur, all people would be treated fairly.
He suggested people needed to change their concept of a "community of interest" and "unshackle ourselves from the past".
Former Labour MP and regional councillor Rick Barker said Hawke's Bay needed a 21st century governance structure.
He noted there are five council chief executives and every time there is a mayoral conference ratepayers pay for five mayors to attend.
"We're very generous," Mr Barker said.
Merging the councils would save between $8.6 and $10 million. He said it would be like winning Lotto every year.
"Small is costly and it don't work."
However, Mike Butler, from the Hastings Against Amalgamation group, disputed the savings, saying it would be "bugger all".
Also on the anti-amalgamation team, Napier MP Stuart Nash said it was not all about money: it was about communities and people having the ability to control their own future.
He claimed councils around the world were de-amalgamating and predicted there would be a move against Auckland's super city in coming years.
However, that drew booing from the crowd.
Finally, Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana got out his guitar for the pro-amalgamation team. He made reference to the Maori Battalion which "shook the world" when it came together to fight with the Anzacs.
He said the region needed to come together once again. To emphasise his point, he started singing Side by Side which got the crowd clapping and cheering.
One thing both pro and anti-amalgamation teams agreed on was that rates would rise.
Mr Yule acknowledged rates would go up but insisted they "won't go through the roof". Some in the audience scoffed at that.
"Rates go up anyway," he said.
Money from any savings would help keep rate increases to a minimum. The money would help the council do more things, Mr Yule said.
"It's about growing the pie ... unleashing the potential of this region."
Mr Dalton said the "savings" was a myth: satellite offices would stay open around the region and staff, with very little power to address local issues, would be retained to run them.
He claimed Napier ratepayers would face a rates hike of 14 per cent because Napier properties were worth more than Hastings.
While Mr Dalton said shared services was the way forward, Mr Yule argued it wasn't enough.
A recent report revealed Hastings had the most modern building department and suggested a hub be created so Hastings could handle consents for the region.
Mr Yule said the other three mayors resisted that and said it was too hard.
Mr Barker did not "pussyfoot around", saying there would be jobs cuts - but they would be done compassionately. That, too, raised a laugh from the crowd.
The final question of the night asked the mayors if they would step down if the vote went against their wishes.
Mr Dalton said: "That's a silly bloody question and I refuse to answer it."
Mr Yule said while he did appreciate calls that he should resign if amalgamation was scrapped, it was not about him.
"It's not about me, it's not about any of us.
"It is how we organise ourselves - not the people in the mix."
