PM eager to hear mayors' ideas on 'one city'

Helen Clark

Today the Herald begins a series examining the case for a single city covering the whole Auckland region. A "one city" campaign has begun and mayors are putting their case for greater unity to the Prime Minister.
We investigate what the proposed changes could mean for you.

The Prime Minister has hinted that the Government will consider reducing the number of Auckland councils, saying stronger government at the regional level would help push the city forward.

Helen Clark said yesterday she was "all ears" on what Auckland's four big-city mayors had come up with to reduce the number of councils before the 2011 Rugby World Cup, saying she was unaware of their proposals.

The four mayors - Auckland City's Dick Hubbard, Manukau's Sir Barry Curtis, Waitakere's Bob Harvey and North Shore's George Wood - have been secretly working on a new governance structure for the region that will be presented to Helen Clark on Thursday.

They have sought no input from the Auckland Regional Council and the smaller district councils - Franklin, Rodney and Papakura.

The plan is thought to include a timetable for change, with the Rugby World Cup the catalyst, but is unlikely to include a single vision.

That is because the four mayors cannot agree themselves, with Mr Hubbard and Mr Harvey favouring a single city, Sir Barry Curtis three cities and Mr Wood unsure how far to go.

"For the record, clearly Auckland needs stronger, regional leadership," Helen Clark said.

"There was a major report that was commissioned by a group of international experts on how to move Auckland ahead as a major and successful international city.

"And the question that stands out above all is how to get stronger, regional leadership to get Auckland moving. Now, if the mayors wish to address those issues with us, we're all ears."

Nick Main, the chairman of Deloitte and a spokesman for the international review on Auckland, said the one-city plan should be supported.

The present local government structure in Auckland could not deal with the Rugby World Cup, growth challenges, waterfront development, the backlog in infrastructure and making Auckland a successful world-class city.

Mr Main said restructuring local government would save money directly and indirectly, allow investment in community facilities and get Auckland moving as the economic hub the country needed.

Rugby World Cup Minister Trevor Mallard and Local Government Minister Mark Burton are likely to join Helen Clark at Thursday's meeting.

ARC chairman Mike Lee, upset at not being invited to take part in the plan or attend the meeting, said the secretive approach left a bad odour and suggested a predatory approach to the ARC and its assets.

"You need to start as you mean to go on and bring in other interested parties and especially the public, rather than presenting the public with a fait accompli," Mr Lee said.

He said he was rung by Mr Hubbard only after news broke of the secret plan, and the ARC was resorting to the Official Information Act to get details.

"As a supporter of Dick Hubbard, personally I have to confess to be a little bit disappointed with his approach," Mr Lee said.

Rodney Mayor John Law also said it was discourteous of the four big-city mayors to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister that discussed the future of other councils without their sanction.

Papakura Mayor John Robertson said it was inappropriate for the mayors to be discussing issues affecting Papakura without his involvement, and questioned the need for further local government reform.

"I'm not sure what the problem is that the restructuring talk is meant to address,"he said. "If it's about efficiency, it's very clear that big is not better.

"Papakura is doing fine, thank you, and democracy is working well."

Franklin Mayor Mark Ball said he was not dismayed that the four mayors were discussing the one-city concept. They did not see Franklin as a big deal, given that two-thirds of its landmass was in the Waikato region.

"Clearly there is angst that Auckland is not the powerhouse it should be and needs some leadership and if this is the start of that one-city plan, then personally I think it is great."

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THE SERIES

* Today: The mayors' views

* Tomorrow: Learning from last time

* Thursday: Behind the super city campaign

* Friday: The Brisbane experience