Media Release

27 May 2010

Aucklanders to pay for a super city most don't want

Auckland ratepayers will be hit with a bill of $170 each to pay for a super city model most of them don’t want, says Labour’s spokesperson for Auckland Issues Phil Twyford.

“Rodney Hide revealed the super city transition costs will top $160 million in Parliament today during the second reading of the third Auckland bill.  This was the first time he had given any detail on costs since he began the Auckland reforms 12 months ago,” says Phil Twyford.

“Aucklanders might have thought they were getting a tax cut – but instead Rodney Hide is sending them a big fat rates bill.

“Labour has condemned the Government’s super city bill as a fraud on Aucklander’s.

“The Government is working over time to convey the impression they had listened to Aucklanders concerns about the attack on democracy.

“The fundamentals haven’t changed.  They are corporatising 75% of council operations. And after 12 months of promising to put the local back into local government, they have failed to guarantee the powers of local boards.

“The bill is the latest chapter in a process of governance reform that has been utterly corrupted by Mr Hide.

“The Government has ridden roughshod  over Auckland. Is it any wonder independent polls show a full 50 per cent of Auckland oppose the Government’s super city model?

“Labour will be opposing the bill through to its final reading,” said Phil Twyford.

Contact: Phil Twyford 027 444 9161