Democracy focus in Green Auckland Governance submission

The Green Party says Auckland's governance issues are a matter of insufficient democracy, not flawed structures.

Submitters to the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance Green MP Sue Bradford and Rodney Green candidate David Hay said today: "The biggest problem we have throughout the Auckland region is a fundamental lack of democracy.

"We advocate more power for ordinary citizens, strengthening the powers and functions of community boards and Maori representation.

"The Greens support keeping all seven of our current Councils. A restructuring would be costly, time-consuming and wouldn't address the key problems, which are a lack of cooperation and poor accountability.

"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.

"We want the region working intelligently together and more closely with central government, to meet the challenges of climate change, peak oil and sustainable economic development.

"Aucklanders are sick of councils playing power games with each other. We face urgent issues like high fuel costs and the deflating property bubble, which are already impacting on people's lives.

Key points of the Green Party's substantial submission include:

• The lengthy consultation process through the Stronger Auckland project should be honoured, and the Royal Commission should build on this work rather than starting from scratch.

• A three tier structure of local government should be retained: one regional council, seven city councils, and community boards - renamed Community Councils in our submission.
• Community Boards become Community Councils and all wards across all cities should be required to have them, not just some – and their powers and functions increased.
• An Auckland Metropolitan Council replaces the ARC, with 15-20 members elected from all seven of the region's cities, with no Lord Mayor, but a Chairperson elected by the Councils.

"It is disgraceful that Auckland City Council is allowing major projects like Westfield's planned 41-storey downtown skyscraper to proceed without any community input. This is a prize example of councils riding roughshod over citizens, and over the needs of the environment."