KEY POINTS:
Just two months ago, Auckland's Big Four mayors, egged on by the millionaires' front group "Champions for Auckland", hatched a plot to consign the Auckland Regional Council and it's leftie chairman Mike Lee to the political scrapheap. "In our opinion," they harrumphed, the ARC "is not able to
deliver regional leadership."
That was before the national stadium debacle erupted, revealing just how wrong the old grey mayors were. During the great battle to save the waterfront, there was only one source of political leadership in Auckland, and it wasn't from any of the mayoral bunkers.
This week, even the political right were singing Mr Lee's praises, with former Act leader Richard Prebble declaring in his newsletter that "ARC chairman Mike Lee has emerged as the real voice of Auckland" - all of which is rather a setback to the on-going campaign of the backroom "Champions" to Pol Pot the Auckland political landscape and replace it with a structure more malleable to the wishes of big business.
The proposed mayoral putsch was so inept, and the proposition so unacceptable, it fell apart the moment details began to emerge. But while the mayors were quick to recant and eat humble pie, the shadowy puppet masters slipped away to regroup and prepare for round two. A copy of their latest masterplan has mysteriously turned up on my desk, heralding "a bold transformation to deliver a world- class city". It even has a swipe at their one-time mayoral allies, noting "the recent attempt by four Auckland mayors to exert leadership on the governance issue demonstrates the 'weak mayor' system in action".
Modest to a fault, the authors - headed by Nick Main, chairman of the Auckland office of multinational corporate consultants Deloitte - humbly declare themselves members of "a group which shapes, influences and inspires ideas for making Auckland great". The aim "is very simple. We need an Auckland armed with empowered leaders."
I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds damn scary. Half Fiji coup, half religious revival. Could this be the last hurrah of one-time Territorial Army brigadier, glass-tower lawyer and "champion" David McGregor?
At his side are developers Peter Menzies, Richard Didsbury and Sir Ron Carter, stockbroker Michael Lorimer, PR flack Jane Sweeney, airport boss Don Huse, businessman Ross Peat and Committee for Auckland boss Kaaren Goodall.
Their blueprint is much the same as the one the Big Four mayors briefly embraced, with one or two new genuflections to the reality that this is a democratic society. This time there's no talk of unelected direct Government appointees on their all-powerful Greater Auckland Council (GAC).
What remains, though, is an authoritarian, business-like structure, with Auckland ruled by an executive chairman, elected at large for a five- year term, "with greater powers than the mayoral system". The "flight deck" of the GAC "would be a small team of extremely capable and focused strategists" and "the GAC bureaucracy would become highly regarded".
I'm not sure whether the latter is a hope or a command!
Mr Main and his fellow revolutionaries see Auckland as a mini-state, taking power not just from existing local councils but also assuming some of the powers and tax revenue of central government, particularly in the area of transport.
To begin with, existing local councils would remain, but their power to levy rates would be removed. Instead, they'd have to queue at the GAC for funds. Their functions would also change.
The Main report says local councils would deliver local (unspecified) services. In addition, "operational and regulatory functions such as regional parks, weed control and environmental protection" would be devolved from the old ARC to local councils.
This is to clear the decks so the GAC can concentrate on land transport, water, economic development and major projects.
To better "empower" council-run bodies such as Watercare, the existing democratic safeguard of an Electoral College would be abolished.
The document ends with a proposed timetable for "transformation", which begins: "Move quickly, prior to the next elections and possibly without legislative backing ... " Are they talking transformation or revolution?
Meanwhile, on Monday, the final version of the regional submission on strengthening Auckland's regional governance will be released, the result of a month of consultation. It will be sent to the Minister of Local Government, with council resolutions.
This document promises to be rather more restrained than the "Champions"' call to arms. Well, for democracy's sake, I'm hoping it is.
