KEY POINTS:
A mayor elected by his or her peers would have a stronger mandate for Auckland than a mayor elected at large with the power of one, says Heart of the City.
The central government model of a Prime Minister and cabinet with advisers and department heads would be a powerful model for Auckland, the business group told the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance yesterday.
Heart of the City spokesman and former Auckland City councillor Greg McKeown said the current setup of a powerful bureaucracy neutered local body politicians.
This could be countered by leadership from a powerful council with its own elected mayor and independent advice, instead of an executive mayor with the power of one, he said.
Councillor Graeme Easte also urged the commission to reject the idea of a mayor for greater Auckland elected at large, saying only the wealthy would be able to stand. It could also lead to a mayor being paralysed by division or opposition within the council.
Mr Easte favoured a "chairman of the board" with the confidence and support of a majority of his or her peers.
The idea of a super city for Auckland, promoted by the council at the commission yesterday, gained support from a number of quarters.
Heart of the City called for a Greater Auckland Council, supported by between 15 and 25 community councils, elected by the single transferable voting system (STV) on a single polling day.
The Property Council supported a regional authority called One Auckland with a single balance sheet to leverage debt to significantly lift the ability to plan and fund regional projects.
Auckland Airport chief executive Don Huse advocated a fresh start for Auckland with a single leadership voice and a single transport authority.
"If the commission decides on a single structure there is a case for elections on a citywide basis. Anything less involves getting down in the quagmire at local level and loses sight of the bigger interests," he said.
Local government watchdog Penny Bright said there had been no cost-benefit analysis of the pre- and post-1989 amalgamations.
Ratepayers had no idea where their money was being spent, saying details of council contracts must be included in annual reports. She has been trying to prise detailed contract figures out of council, without success.
Ms Bright said New Zealand should follow Australia and establish an anti-corruption body for local government.
