KEY POINTS:
National Party leader John Key wants one of his predecessors, Macquarie New Zealand executive chairman Jim McLay, to sit on the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Auckland.
Mr Key said National had been asked by the Government to put forward names for a royal commission to thrash out the future of Auckland governance and believed Mr McLay fitted the bill. Mr McLay was briefly National Party leader before retiring from politics in 1987. He is also chairman of the pro-supercity Council for Infrastructure Development. He addressed this month's National Party conference in Auckland.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said the Government had consulted other parties and Auckland local government on the make-up of the royal commission. Cabinet had discussed the terms of reference on Monday. She could not say when the membership and terms of reference would be finalised and made public.
Mr Key said National was approached last Wednesday and given until Friday for input into the terms of reference and membership.
This was not long enough and National had indicated it would give a considered response within a week.
The National leader is not convinced a single supercity, strongly supported by business groups like the Employers and Manufacturers, is the best solution for Auckland.
