Govt softens stance on Maori Super City seats

The Government is showing increased signs of flexibility on Maori seats and more local representation for the Auckland Super City council.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide yesterday said the Government wanted a "genuine engagement" with Aucklanders on issues such as more ward-based councillors for the super Auckland council.

This followed comments from Prime Minister John Key on Sunday and yesterday that National's decision to leave Maori seats out of the new council was "not set in stone".

However, Mr Key reiterated the view that Maori issues would be best dealt with by an advisory board to the Auckland council, rather than through Maori seats.

Mr Hide yesterday said the Government would introduce three bills to set up the Super City.

The first two bills will be introduced to Parliament next week. The first, establishing the Auckland council as a legal entity and a transition board, will be passed under urgency.

The board will have the huge and complex job of restructuring Auckland's existing eight councils and 6000-plus staff into a single entity.

The bill will give the board the power to constrain the decision-making powers of the existing councils and their subsidiaries.

The second bill will deal with representation and go to Parliament's local government select committee for public submissions.

The bill will contain the Government's plans for 12 councillors elected from wards and eight elected at large. There are fears that electing councillors at large will favour political blocs and that many candidates will be drawn from the rich and famous who can afford citywide campaigns. The bill will also allow for 20 to 30 local boards and their broad functions, empower the Local Government Commission to determine the boundaries for the wards and local boards, and provide for the integration of Auckland's water infrastructure.

Mr Hide said the best way for people to air concerns about the number of ward councillors and councillors elected at large was through the parliamentary process, but ultimately Parliament would make the final decisions in September, he said. He also referred to existing powers for local body voters to decide in a referendum whether there should be Maori seats.

A third bill is due to be introduced in September and passed by April detailing the structure, functions, roles and powers of the Auckland council and local boards.

Labour's Auckland issues spokesman Phil Twyford said the Government needed to confirm if the first bill would remove the right for a referendum on the Government's plans.

SUPER CITY LEGISLATION

* Bill establishing Auckland Council as a legal entity and setting up transition board to be passed under urgency this month.

* Bill determining representation issues and starting work on boundaries introduced to Parliament for public submissions. Due to be passed in September.

* Bill detailing structure, functions, roles and powers of super Auckland council and local boards introduced to Parliament for public submissions in September. Due to be passed in April.