Anger bubbling in the burbs: super city

Anger at the Government’s handling of the super city continues to bubble away in the Auckland burbs.

The Labour-Green public meetings across the city are pulling 50-60 people. And while the meetings are designed to inform and encourage people to make submissions to the select committee (deadline 12 February) it is clear from the debate people are mad as hell with the Government and wanting to take action.

People are angry about the  lack of clarity over the powers of local boards, and concerned that the plan to structure three-quarters of Council activities into arms-length commercial entities will make them unaccountable.

Two new meetings have been scheduled, in addition to the earlier roster:

The first is in the heart of the Prime Minister’s electorate: West Rodney Kumeu Community Hall,  Access Road, Kumeu, 8pm  Tuesday 9 February.  Chaired by Rodney Councillor Suzanne Weld, David Clendon of the Greens and I will be speaking, meeting hosted in association with the Kumeu Residents and Ratepayers Association.

Su’a William Sio MP and Ross Robertson MP are hosting a meeting in Mangere: 5.30 – 7 pm Monday 8 February at the Nga Tapuwae Hall, 253 Buckland Rd, Mangere.

Others coming up are:

North Shore- 7.00 – 9.00pm, Wednesday 3rd February, Rawene Centre, 33 Rawene Road Birkenhead, hosted by Darien Fenton and Keith Locke

Waitakere- 7.00 – 9.00pm, Wednesday 3rd February, New Lynn Community Centre – Recreation Room, Totara Avenue, New Lynn, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon, David Cunliffe, Chris Carter, Lynne Pillay, and Carmel Sepuloni

Auckland Central- 6.30 – 8.30pm, Thursday 4th February, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd, Grey Lynn, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon and Jacinda Ardern

Mt Albert/Mt Roskill- 7.00 – 8.30pm, Monday 8th February, Owairaka Primary School, 113-115 Richardson Road, Mt Albert, hosted by Phil Twyford, David Clendon, David Shearer and Carmel Sepuloni

Meetings have been held in Waiheke, Warkworth, and Onehunga in the last few days.  I spoke to about 60 members of Probus in the blue heart of Milford on Monday. Best guess 80% would normally be National voters. Feeling about National-ACT’s handling of the super city: hopping mad. Spoke to another 50 at a workshop hosted by North Shore City yesterday: also not happy. National’s Auckland MPs should be feeling the vibe.

Get along to our meetings if you can. You can download the Labour submission guide. Don’t forget to get your submission in by February 12.