Ask Phoebe: Postal ballot to select region's office holders will extend over three weeks

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When is the election for the Super City council? How many boards and wards and councillors will we get to vote for? Andrew Morris, Kohimarama.

The elections will be held by postal vote from September 17 until midday on Saturday, October 9. There are 13 wards and 21 local boards, and residents of the Super City region will be able to vote for the mayor of the city, 20 councillors elected on a ward basis, and their local board members.

In other words, everyone who is enrolled to vote can vote for the mayor, regardless of where you live in the new Auckland Council area. You also vote for your ward councillors from candidates standing in your own local ward, and for members of your local board.

As well, you will be able to vote for your local district health board and licensing trust, as these ad hoc bodies are not affected by the new Auckland Council structure.

Because this is a local government election, there are no polling booths. All voting documents must be either posted, delivered to council offices or service centres, or handed in at any Auckland public library. There is no early voting for people who will be unable to complete their voting documents in the period September 17 to October 9, because they will be out of the country, for example. Special votes such as this apply only in general elections.

Why isn't there provision for Maori wards and separate representation on the Super City council? Will there ever be? Hemi Somerville, Glen Innes.

The Government view is that there is already sufficient provision in the Local Government Act 2002 and the most recent Local Electoral Act to make separate seats unnecessary. Having said that, the Local Government Act requires that consideration must be given to Maori views, and opportunities must be provided for Maori to take part in decision-making. Incidentally, Maori are the only group given this status.

An independent board of up to nine members will be set up to represent mana whenua (tribes directly associated with the area) and mataawaka (non-mana whenua) of the Auckland region. This board will be independent of the council, but will appoint up to two people as members to sit on Auckland Council committees that deal with the management and stewardship of the area's natural and physical resources.

As well, a Pacific People's Advisory Panel and Ethnic People's Advisory Panel will be established to represent the views and interests of their respective communities.

I have a rainwater tank to collect water for the garden and washing the car and things like that. A friend told me that I won't be able to use the tank under the new Super City council. Is this true? Simon Browne, Henderson.

I'm afraid, Mr Browne, that your friend has put you crook. I think. As yet, no decision has been made that might remove the use of rainwater tanks and force Auckland residents to use the reticulated water, at a cost, of course. This issue will be dealt with by the new Auckland Council, with input from local boards. It would be a good question to put to aspiring local board members on the hustings, wouldn't it?