29 October 2009

Rodney Hide plans $1 million Auckland "Super City Show"

"The Minister of Local Government, Rodney Hide, has plans to spend $1 million on a Super City Show in Auckland Domain to trumpet the arrival of his new super city." says North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams.

"I was appalled when I heard last week that this amount of money was being suggested for a big party in the Domain to launch the new Auckland super city. And to find out that the "cut councils to the core services" Minister Rodney Hide supports this extravagant spendup makes a mockery of his whole agenda for gutting local government."

"The planned "Auckland Super City Show", to be organised by the same promoters who do other concerts, Domain Concerts Ltd, intends asking the NZ Lotteries Board for the million dollars, rather than it being at a cost to ratepayers or taxpayers." says Mayor Williams. "Why on earth would this national lottery want to give a very valuable sum like that to Auckland for a one night bash when communities up and down New Zealand desperately need the Lotto dollars for more important under-funded projects?"

"And no doubt the 'Dancing with the Stars' Minister Hide would want to be a star act on the night to gloat about his new Auckland Super Council. This super show would be an exercise in self promotion for the ACT Party leader, at the expense of all New Zealanders." says Mayor Williams. "This Minister is a total hypocrite when it comes to spending public money."

"I for one will not be supporting this extravagance. If anything we are more likely to just have some low key wakes in the likes of North Shore, Waitakere, Manukau to say farewell to a number of very fine cities and districts that have been killed off by Rodney Hide."

Auckland Supershow Proposal (doc)

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Super-Wards: Commission Proposes New Boundaries For Auckland

The Local Government Commission presented its proposals on the boundaries and representation arrangements for the new Auckland Council today.

Under the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009, the Commission is required to determine boundaries for the new Auckland Council, wards and local boards, ward and board names and the number of members per local board. More>>