MEDIA RELEASE: Community Coalition for Auckland: Voices of Tamaki Makaurau http://www.cc4a.net.nz

For Immediate release 4/05/2009

Bennett Lets Down Waitakere Voices

Waitakere MP Paula Bennett’s recent concerns over the content of the Government’s hasty proposals for the structure of Auckland’s governance have come to nothing and her constituents feel she has let them down.

In a press release today, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide announced he is pushing ahead to introduce legislation under urgency to place his unchanged proposals before the select committee as soon as possible.

Concerns raised by the communities of Auckland, brought to cabinet by Paula Bennett and supported by Prime Minister John Key have had no influence on Mr Hide’s proposals.

Community Coalition for Auckland: Voices of Tamaki Makaurau spokesperson Iris Donoghue said “Ms Bennett assured the people of West Auckland that she was listening to their concerns, but without the opportunity (as promised) to put their concerns to Ms Bennett nothing has even been mooted as a possible change and the community feels let down by our MP. John Key promised that his government would listen to what people wanted, but this isn’t what’s happening. This is the first big test of his election promises and yet we’re all being bullied by Rodney Hide, including the rest of the Government”

“Legislation introduced under urgency is a proven underhanded way for Government to introduce legislation that indicates they do not listen” she said “The use of “urgency'” is unusual in western democracies and has mostly in NZ been linked to the bad old days of pushing unpopular legislation through before the people have time to comment. This is what is happening to the people of Auckland and it’s undemocratic”.

The Community Coalition for Auckland: Voices of Tamaki Makaurau is demanding that the Government uses the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance’s report as a starting point for the select committee process and not the Rodney Hide version.

This includes the three Maori seats, a Social Issues Board and and a considered and practical rethink re the six second tier councils with real powers and functions to connect with their communities.

The Coalition is also promoting the idea of a ward system so that all Councillors are elected by local people to represent their area, not “at large” across the whole of Auckland.

ENDS

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