KEY POINTS:
More than 3000 submissions have poured into the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance.
The overwhelming majority are from individuals, but more than 300 organisations and interested groups from Auckland and elsewhere have strong ideas on how Auckland should be run for the next 50 years.
Today, the Herald begins a snapshot of who is thinking what.
EMPLOYERS AND MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION (NORTHERN)
A single super city made up of 21 councillors and 21 "local councils" with five members each is at the core of the association's submission to the royal commission.
With the One Auckland Trust and New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development, it has been at the forefront of a "Fix Auckland" campaign that last year came up with the "One Auckland" proposal.
Essentially, the One Auckland plan abolishes the current system of seven territorial councils and regional council and replaces its with a Greater Auckland Council, headed by a mayor elected by all voters and a single administration.
The Greater Auckland Council would have responsibility for all infrastructure and assets of the region.
Local councils - like community boards but more powerful - would have responsibility and the ability to levy local rates for services and amenities such as local parks, libraries, recreation centres and community events.
There would be a single rates bill, which would include the regional and local components.
The submission says "the Auckland region needs unified leadership, with a clear strategy, backed by a highly effective management structure ... most importantly it needs inclusive democratic structures and processes".
AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION
The number of entities dealing with transport in Auckland is so high, the areas of responsibility so diverse, that the status quo is best described as a shambolic mess, says the AA.
The association, which represents 265,000 Auckland motorists, wants one entity to be in charge of Auckland's regional transport infrastructure.
Central government transport agencies should hand over their responsibilities for Auckland to the new entity.
To maintain accountability, the chief executive of the Auckland transport entity should report to a body of elected representatives, who would be responsible for other regional infrastructure activities.
The submission says: "Too often have we seen the underlying political differences that exist between Auckland's seven local authorities, between the local and regional authorities, and between local and central government transport agencies, result in poor transport decision making and a lack of co-ordination."
AUCKLAND REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY
Making transport work is becoming more difficult because of the number of agencies, infrastructure not meeting demand and growth pressures, says the transport division of the Auckland Regional Council.
It is calling for greater regional control to connect strategy, planning and funding.
State highways would remain under Crown ownership but would be operated by a regional transport body.
Local transport activities, including roads, cycleways and the provision of bus stops, would continue to be led by local community government.
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
The starting point should not be whether Auckland is divided into one or several cities, but what the proper functions of local government should be in the region, says Roundtable executive director Roger Kerr.
It should then determine which functions are best organised regionally and which are genuinely local.
The submission says local government should stick to "public good services" and make commercial services, like roading and water, publicly-owned commercial structures.
The core role of councils should be spelled out in legislation, which should also constrain the rate of growth in council operating spending.
"Councils should be permitted to go beyond their core functions, or increase spending more than set out in law, only after submitting their proposals to binding referenda," Mr Kerr said.
ENVIRONMENT WAIKATO
It is crucial for the holistic management of the Waikato River that the southern boundary of Auckland does not move further south, says the submission.
Keeping the Waikato River catchment in Environment Waikato was in the best interests of managing the river, particularly in light of the settlement negotiations with Tainui. Changing the boundaries could put those negotiations at risk.
Environment Waikato likes the suggestion that parts of the Mangatawhiri and Mangatangi catchments could be included in its patch, saying these rivers ultimately flow into the Waikato River.
Increasing the portion of the Firth of Thames within the Waikato region would also be welcomed, as it would provide consistent and coherent planning for marine farmers, recreational users and others.
Environment Waikato has welcomed the suggestion by Franklin District Council that it leave Auckland and become part of Waikato.
GREEN PARTY
More power for citizens, strengthening the powers and functions of community board and Maori representation are at the core of the Green Party's proposals.
Green MP Sue Bradford and Rodney Green candidate David Hay - not to be confused with right-wing Auckland City councillor David Hay - said the biggest problem in Auckland was a lack of democracy.
The Greens support keeping all seven councils, changing the name of community boards to community councils and making all councils have community boards.
The Auckland Regional Council would be replaced by an Auckland Metropolitan Council with between 15 and 20 members and a chairperson elected by the seven councils.
"We oppose any bid for a single council which manages assets and delivers services across the entire region. That would lead to more investment in motorways and urban sprawl at great environmental and social cost," said Sue Bradford and David Hay.
AUCKLAND AIRPORT
Auckland needs a fresh start with one voice for citywide issues, says the airport company.
While not advocating any particular governance structures, the company said any new body or bodies should be entirely new, with a new name, new functions and powers to break from the current arrangements.
Elections for any regional body should be on a citywide basis to get away from ward-based agendas that may work against what is best for the city as a whole.
The company has urged the royal commission to focus on six elements needed for better governance - simplified governance, improved Auckland-wide focus and strong leadership, improved economic focus in decision making, a simplified statutory framework, efficient and timely consultation and participation, and reasonable and efficient costs.
The submissions said that even with strong, citywide governance, local participation at a secondary level had to be also robust and accountable. PSA Bigger does not mean better, says PSA national secretary Richard Wagstaff, whose organisations represents 2400 local government staff in Auckland.
The PSA does not have a firm view on how many councils Auckland should have, but does not support creations of a a super city. It does advocate strengthening Auckland's regional government.
The submission said Auckland's councils already cover bigger populations than councils in Europe, where local government worked well.
The average New Zealand council covered 56,000 people. In Auckland, the average was 171,500. In Sweden, it was 31,300 and Denmark 18,200.
The principles shaping change should include safeguarding the democratic process, public ownership and controls of public assets and services, and keeping services within councils instead of outsourcing to council-controlled organisations.
Mr Wagstaff said changes must recognise that quality services required skilled staff.
"This is vital because a Deloitte's study shows councils are losing staff due to high workloads and because they can earn more in the private sector," he said.
RESIDENTS' ACTION MOVEMENT
RAM generally supports the submission by Manukau City Council for a Greater Auckland Council, three city councils and community boards.
But it also wants a general assembly of all elected local government politicians throughout Auckland to be held twice a year.
This could grow into something like an Auckland Parliament to narrow the "democratic deficit" and reduce the undue influence of the corporate elite, said the left-wing political group.
RAM chairman Grant Morgan said councils were increasingly coming under the sway of the corporate principle of "one dollar, one vote", rather than the democratic principle of "one person, one vote".
