Key: We'll listen on Super City

Prime Minister John Key says he is willing and ready to keep talking to Aucklanders on Government plans for a Super City.

"The Government is not so arrogant that it won't listen to the submissions that are made before or during the select committee process," Mr Key said yesterday.

He was commenting on concerns that the Government has overridden the report of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance and is pushing ahead with a cobbled-together plan without public input.

The region's two main community newspaper chains have started campaigns against the Government's plan for a super Auckland Council and 20 to 30 community boards.

The Aucklander has accused the Government of giving Aucklanders no say about the most important issue in the city's history and invited readers to "bomb" National's Auckland MPs, including Mr Key, with email.

Under the headline, 'Who stole our voice?', Suburban Newspapers editor-in-chief David Kemeys said the Government was bullying Aucklanders.

"The Government's proposal is an insult to North Shore, an insult to Manukau, Waitakere, Rodney, Papakura and Franklin - and worse, it is an insult to democracy," he said.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has agreed to set up a working party with Auckland mayors to work on the Super City structure and transition process.

But he rejected a call from most mayors to have some say on on the representation issue before legislation goes to Parliament.

The mayors, with the exception of Auckland City Mayor John Banks, favour a full ward system for the Auckland Council.

The Government plans for eight of the 20 councillors to be elected at large - slightly less than the 10 ward/10 elected at large council recommended by the royal commission.

There are fears the system will favour political blocs and the rich and famous who can afford city-wide campaigns. Sending one letter to the region's 500,000 ratepayers will cost a candidate or ticket $250,000 in postage.