Community unconvinced by super city plan

Media release

5 June, 2009

Survey results show community unconvinced by super city plan

An overwhelming 81% of residents in Waitakere City want a referendum on the “Super City” proposed for Auckland.

That is among the results of a national survey released today.

The shapeNZ survey reveals that with the exception of Auckland City, opposition to the overall idea is higher in six of the seven council areas affected by the reform, particularly in Rodney and Waitakere:

• Rodney – 63% against, 17% for
• Waitakere – 59% against, 22% for
• North Shore – 47% against, 34% for
• Franklin – 46% against, 35% for
• Manukau – 45% against, 35% for
• Papakura – 45% against, 18 % for

The majority of the country also believes the Government’s consultation over the reform has been inadequate and that it is managing the process badly.

Sixty-three percent of New Zealanders and the majority of people in every affected council area have labelled the Government’s consultation inadequate, including a whopping 91% in Papakura.

In all seven of the affected council areas, more people are dissatisfied than satisfied with the reform management, with Rodney (65%), Waitakere (62%) and North Shore (60%) the most dissatisfied.

Waitakere Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the survey results should send a clear message to the Government that the majority of New Zealanders don’t support their plans and don’t appreciate the haste in which changes are being pushed through without proper consultation.

“It’s clear our communities ‘get’ what local government does and don’t like their opinions being ignored,” she says.

“The Government is acting like this is just a business merger and it’s not – it’s about community. People are more informed, intelligent and caring than the Government is giving them credit for and most clearly remain unconvinced that the Minister of Local Government has got it right.”

“There is a dawning realisation that this reform is being done with unseemly haste. People don’t like it and want to be consulted in a meaningful way, not via a truncated select committee process."