Govt 'owes' Auckland quick news

Labour says the Government owes it to Aucklanders to release the report of the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance when it receives it on March 31.

Labour's Auckland Issues spokesman Phil Twyford said in the interests of informed public debate, the Government should release it as soon as possible after it receives it, via the Governor-General on March 31.

The Royal Commission on the Electoral System in 1986 was publicly released after three days and the Royal Commission on Genetic Modification in 2001 was released after one day, he said.

"The Government may be tempted to release its own proposals simultaneously with the report, but that would have the effect of steering media coverage and public debate away from the commission's findings and toward the Government's own plans," Mr Twyford said.

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide said the Government was going to hold on to the report for some days to come up with a response.

"It will be a few days. It won't be weeks," he said.

Labour's local government spokesman Shane Jones said that should not be allowed to happen.

"The report may well be the most demanding challenge Mr Hide faces in his job, but that's no excuse for hiding it from the people most affected by it until he works out what to do."

Prime Minister John Key said in January he expected the Government would make the report public within hours of receiving it to avoid any suggestion of political interference.