Penny Webster: Countryside issues will slow down the Super City slickers

Opinion

Proposals from both the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance and the Government on future Auckland governance is for the Rodney District to be included in the new Auckland council.

Representation for the residents of the current Rodney District in this new structure would be via an - as yet - unknown number of local boards, with - as yet - unknown powers and the possibility of a ward candidate or ward candidates on the governing council.

The obvious question Rodney residents are asking is: What is the rationale for Rodney being part of the new, predominantly metropolitan authority?

The Rodney District comprises the largest land area in the Auckland region. It is a series of solid, small, rural towns surrounded by extensive green and productive rural areas.

While it has some distinct similarities with the Franklin area, it is significantly different from metropolitan Auckland. Rodney extends over 2475sq km, making up 45 per cent of the Auckland region's land mass, spanning from the east to the west coast and edged by 1019km of coastline.

The district has 1006km of sealed roads and 704km of unsealed roads - it has more unsealed roads than roads of any type in North Shore City. About 90 per cent of Rodney is rural. There are 2200 farming units in the district, which is 36 per cent of the farming units in the Auckland region.

Rodney's infrastructure needs are vastly different from metropolitan Auckland's needs. Key to this is where we fit in the needs hierarchy.

Metropolitan Auckland is much higher up the hierarchy, Rodney is near the bottom. Our needs are still basic - sealing metal roads, introducing wastewater systems, managing or replacing tank-water supply and determining what to do during dry months etc.

Public transport is simply not in the frame of reference for most of the district. Nor is congestion a problem on a daily basis. In the council's daily operations, we deal with road slips, refurbish remote rural community halls, schedule the volunteers at our seven libraries, keep 71 boat ramps operative and maintain our rural sports fields.

We also control pests and eradicate possums - not your average Queen St activity.

Rodney's population is significantly different from the rest of the region and has more in common with the provincial New Zealand. Many residents have moved to Rodney as a result of "metro flight" - they have made a deliberate choice not to live in a metropolitan area.

Rodney and Franklin were incorporated into the royal commission's model chiefly to act as green buffers for the metropolitan parts of Auckland. They were seen to be areas of limited or no development with a key function of preserving the metropolitan urban limit.

As the Government's model has done away with this artificial constraint and, therefore, one of the key reasons for including the predominantly rural areas with the metropolitan areas, it is no longer relevant.

The commission's approach appeared to be a continuation of the Auckland Regional Council and metropolitan view that Rodney exists to provide a playground for metropolitan dwellers, ignoring the people who actually live in Rodney and who wish Rodney to develop sustainably.

If this approach continues, there will be limited scope for business growth in Rodney, the local economy may stagnate, and the community preferences for a diversified economy and a variety of work choices will not be achieved.

As Federated Farmers Auckland president Philip York stated in his recent opinion piece about Auckland governance: "What is needed for the new Auckland is structure that will ensure rural areas don't become urban "playgrounds" that are protected in a way that excludes any viable use."

The key problems in Auckland revolve around complex and fragmented decision making, transport, the waterfront and CBD, lost development opportunities and needing a greater contribution to New Zealand's economy and social issues. Rodney is not an integral part of these problems. It can be said we share some of the transport issues, but only in a minor way. The Northern Busway is addressing some commuting issues and Penlink will address others.

Excluding Rodney - and Franklin - from the Auckland Super City will make the creation of the Auckland Council much simpler and more achievable in a short time frame. The additional transitional issues of dealing with rural areas and issues will be avoided and the transition cost will be less.

Creating a new district plan will also be easier if it is focused on urban issues rather than having the complexities of rural matters.

The Government says "New Zealand needs Auckland to do well" and that creating a "world class city" must be reflected in the way it is run. However, including Rodney and Franklin in the metropolitan-dominated Auckland super council will hamper, not assist, the Government's intent and the region's ability to deliver.

* Penny Webster is Mayor of the Rodney District Council.