Auckland has chosen wisely

I doubt I would be wrong if I guessed that the most disappointed man over the election of the council for greater Auckland last Saturday would be Local Body Minister, Rodney Hide. As the architect of the shape of the amalgamation that would form the super city, Rodney did his best to ensure that the re-formed city fitted his ideas of what a city’s governance should be. That meant the election of a right-wing council who would do the government’s bidding, under the chairmanship of a right-wing mayor.

Bad luck, Rodney. In a democracy, electors don’t always do what is expected of them.

It has really been a bad year for Rodney. He has clung to his shaky leadership of ACT, but at the expense of true confidence of at least two of his five person caucus. But with the debacle of the Heather Roy replacement, the resignation of David-three-strikes-and-you’re-out-Garrett coming on top of his own exposed holiday-taking hypocrisy, the perk-busting Rodney’s future looks doomed, and his ACT party with him.

This is not good news for National. It was National who engineered Hide’s entry into Parliament when it conspired with the Epsom electorate to choose the chubby chappie so as to get 5% right-leaning extra seats into the House. When ACT is tossed out in next year’s election, and with it the Government’s reliable support party, National will find itself in the position of having to kowtow for the Maori vote, which could cost it dearly if it wants to hold on to power. An interesting scenario indeed, especially as John Key’s honeymoon can only continue as long as a credible leader of Labour remains out of sight.

But back to the Auckland super city. Its size seems to have alarmed the remainder of the country’s mayors, as Bob Parker, Christchurch, has called for a Forum to protect southern interests that could be short changed by the demands of the 1.3m size northern metropolis. Their concern is understandable. On the other hand, New Zealand’s future depends heavily on the success of the Auckland move. The parochialism that was stifling development in the northern city may well remain as an internal irritant within the city’s groupings, but this will surely be set aside in time as the advantages kick in, and benefits are seen to serve the whole community. So it should for the country as a whole. Auckland needs the entire country, just as the country needs Auckland.

I have great faith in our new Mayor. He has been an inspiration on his own patch of South Auckland, and now he brings his vision to bear on the greater Auckland scene. He stands to serve the wider community, not just the selected elite. I am predicting he will prove to be a popular and successful force for New Zealand. His time has come.