KEY POINTS:
When Manukau was established in 1965 as a city, two names were mooted for the proposed new city. One was Manukau, and the other was Churchill.
With no disrespect to the great man, the history of our community and its connection to the Manukau Harbour meant there was never a doubt that our new city would be called Manukau.
The debate over the past two to three years about the future governance of Auckland as a region has been loosely phrased to "fix Auckland". Its proponents, particularly those in the business community, have focused so much of their attention on infrastructure, economic growth and efficiencies that they have underestimated the most important part of city development - our communities.
For instance, the other day a truckie asked me what I thought about the possibility of a "super city". He said, "I've lived in Manukau all my life and I don't think it's any good for us." Asked why, he said, "The money will go everywhere, not to us. We always miss out."
People like him are what local government is about. Therefore, when thinking about any 'fixing' of the Auckland region, our communities need assurance that their diverse interests will be at the forefront under any new structure.
For example, Manukau is a unique place - young in years, old in tradition and identity - faced with economic and social extremes not experienced in other parts of the country.
We have experienced amazing population growth in our city of up to 10,000 people a year. Also there is the ethnic diversity of our community, which home to around 170 cultures.
We have seen business growth of between 3 and 8 per cent gross domestic product per annum over many years. Our city is a place of great energy and ideas because of those who call Manukau home, who arrived in our city with a positive purpose in mind - to find freedom, a job, better schooling, opportunity and mostly to find and follow their dreams and those of their children.
Some 40 per cent of our people are under the age of 25, so much of our council policy and philosophy has been focused on the importance of delivering our young people to adulthood full of hopes, dreams and expectations with their community's support, the love of their families and the encouragement of their educators.
We don't charge for pools and libraries, and significantly subsidise recreation centres, which is a unique policy in our country for which we often receive accolades.
We take strong and pro-active positions with regard to education. We put money and resources into parks and reserves development, and we build and encourage our business communities in the hope that they will provide jobs for our children when they move into the workforce.
Ours is not only a business city, it's a kids' city. We are hugely proud of what we have achieved, and full of ambition for what we have yet to achieve as a community and as a city.
In the story of Manukau, there are challenges we continue to rise to, for which finding solutions will define us: the youth gangs, the drug dealers, the proliferation of liquor outlets, the family violence.
We have a singular focus on meeting these challenges and working with Government on how best to collaborate in achieving good outcomes.
In saying that, we are respectful and mindful of our place within the region and the need for us to be active contributors to Auckland's progress moving forward. Even in the midst of my passionate advocacy for our communities' identity I recognise the importance of unity and of our commonality in the shared space between the beautiful harbours of Manukau and Waitemata.
The unanimous support and regional collaboration on the One Plan, approved only months ago by all of us, is a great example of what the region and we as Aucklanders can achieve. But there is room for improvement and we should never forget how important the commitment of central government is to the region's success.
I don't believe we can come up with "super city" answers to our challenges but it is time for us, the region, to unite to confront in a more effective and meaningful way Auckland's destiny as the country's social, economic and cultural powerhouse.
In his book, Logan Campbell's Auckland, Russell Stone laid the challenge squarely at our feet when he called for co-ordinated action for a Greater Auckland solution to our challenges:
"How is an overarching solution possible given the particularist spirit that prevails within the region's ruling councils?"
No structure is perfect and experience worldwide indicates that while some structural reform may be necessary, the quality of relationships established between various local governments and between local and central government is generally more critical to success than structural change.
Having stated our position unequivocally to the royal commission, we will respect its work and deliberations and will be a positive part of discussions and determinations deriving from it.
Let's not lose sight of why we're here and who we represent.
Len Brown is the Mayor of Manukau City.
