John Hinchcliff: Chance for even greater Auckland

A range of voices will ensure a Super City hub of democracy and prosperity. Photo / NZ Herald

Opinion

Click here for the 'Idiot's guide to the Super City' to see how the new Auckland Council will work.

The idealism of regional governance in the idea of "Super City" replicates aspirations of the expiring Auckland Regional Council. These failed.

So, can there be an integrated and effective process of regional governance for Auckland? Or will the frustrating fragmentation of power wreck our aspirations?

Perfect governance is impossible. "Utopia" means "no place" in Greek. So, some disillusionment is inevitable within this very human political challenge.

Over the years, the public of Auckland has scarcely responded to councils' invitations to engage with the democratic processes. Perhaps our apathy has encouraged Rodney Hide to short-circuit the democratic processes.

But rather than capitalising on our apathy, the restructuring should reinvigorate respect for meaningful democratic government.

Pressures from the people and the Herald have encouraged the Government to enhance the democratic dimension. Their requirements, that "council controlled organisations be subject to the council's strategic planning", that Rodney Hide consult city councils about these organisations' memberships, and that the new council both appoint the chairman and deputy and be empowered to fire these organisations' directors, have alleviated some concerns.

Thus, council controlled organisations should not become the Government's council controlling organisations.

But uncertainties persist. How can we believe the politicians' promise of increased democratic participation when the projected ratios between the general population and both the elected councillors and local board members will be unusually high?

The outlying regions also fear the bias of the politically appointed, unelected CCOs may mean unfair priorities in strategies for regional development. Will the needs of Mangere and Glen Eden be treated as equably as those of Remuera and Devonport?

Will the 21 local boards be empowered to meet the needs of the local populace? Their powers must be clarified immediately. And will the politically appointed chief administrators of the seven CCOs sacrifice sufficient authority to enable co-operative regional integration?

It is also unfortunate that the Government's Auckland Transition Authority, rather than the council, has appointed its chief executive and the most senior positions. This casts the unfortunate aspersion that council members could not perform such governance responsibilities.

And the impression pertains that these appointments will be captured and motivated by the tunnel-visioned ethos of one political bias that, subsequently, will echo through the ranks to ensure ideological coherence.

Like-minded cronyism captive of narrow party loyalty will not inspire the loyalty of the community at large.

When there is a "showdown", will the CCOs, with some residual loyalty to Rodney Hide, be willing to serve the elected council - particularly if the left of centre holds a majority?

Efficiency mechanisms that chop time-consuming accountability from the duties of CCOs and secure ideological compatibility, while they are understandable, subvert democratic process.

Any indication, perceived or actual, of political interference by one political party, will curtail the democratic heartbeat of our city. We need the challenging checks and balances of different persuasions to safeguard democracy.

We need a healthy diversity of perspectives to prosper creatively in our complex world.

Suggestions to ensure greater respect for democratic idealism include such things as:

First, new technologies of communication could enable us to debate issues and monitor performances of representatives.

It would expose the silly whipping system and mindless block voting by "party hacks", time-wasting stonewalling, and deliberately contentious and self-interested posturing.

A publicly endorsed code of values would enshrine for councillors, staff and the electorate the city's democratic aspirations and socio-ethical responsibilities.

We could also safeguard democracy by being aware of "corporatism", "managed democracy", and "corporatocracy" - this quest to control political power without democratic legitimacy.

The corporatists would wrest control away from the democratically elected powers to ensure their more expert leadership. All people are not equal.

Any minority group can assume this corporatist mantle whether right wing libertarians, intellectuals, the religiously "chosen", monarchists, communists, business interests, or politicos from the far left or far right.

Fortunately, a reasonably intelligent populace and alert media may guard against those who would deliberately or inadvertently hijack our city's democratic governance.

* John Hinchcliff is a former vice-chancellor of AUT University, a former Auckland City councillor and president of the Rotary Club of Auckland.