Hide: super city criticism a media beat up

Rodney Hide thinks opposition to the super city is a media beat up. From a speech to a business and investment seminar today:

One aspect of the new governance structure that has come in for some criticism, was the Auckland Transition Agency proposal for Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) under the new Auckland Council. The criticisms have been more in the mould of a political campaign run by the media, than a considered analysis of the issues, most of which have been substantially misrepresented.

Hilarious. If the Minister talked to some real Aucklanders, or read the polls, he’d know the level of discontent about his handling of the super city including the vexed issue of council-owned companies runs deep and wide.

Len Brown responded that ‘opposition to the new super-city structure is well-founded, and not simply a media campaign as claimed by Local Government Minister Rodney Hide’.

The government only has itself to blame for that and the widespread concerns. The super-city plan put forward by the Royal Commission has been substantially altered, and many in the Auckland region now fear for their local voice in the new structure.

The government has made a number of major mistakes including:

• It needed to put into legislation clear roles, functions and responsibilities for the local boards. It refuses to do so.

• It should not have legislated for council-controlled organisations. These should have been left to the new council to decide and establish.

• It should not have established a powerful transport CCO when that will be a key issue for the new Mayor and Council to grapple with.

• Having bulldozed ahead with the CCOs, the government should be giving the existing councils a say on the directors. It refuses to do so.

Failing to listen to the concerns of Aucklanders is the reason for widespread discontent – not any media campaign. Mr Hide and the government still have time to amend the third Bill on the super-city currently before Parliament. If they did so, they might find some of the opposition might lessen.