24 June 2009

Forced Amalgamation not what Wellington Needs

The Auckland SuperCity fiasco shows exactly why Wellington should not go down the road of forced amalgamation, Wellington Green MP Sue Kedgley said today.

“The Government’s attempt to force a SuperCity on Auckland, without giving Aucklanders any say in the matter, has been a disaster,” the Green Party’s Local Government Spokesperson said. “Peter Dunne is wrong to advocate it for Wellington.”

The United Future MP has called for a Wellington SuperCity extending as far north as Waikanae. With one elected Council and Mayor, and a network of community boards, it would replace the Wellington, Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua and Kapiti Councils, as well as the Greater Wellington Regional Council.

“The very last thing Wellington needs is a group of politicians imposing a similar forced amalgamation on the region.”

Ms Kedgley said Auckland’s forced amalgamation had caused widespread dissatisfaction and resentment. “We should learn the lessons from their failed experiment and avoid any proposition of a forced amalgamation. Wellingtonians must be able to choose their own governance structure.”

Mr Dunne had not indicated what problem he was trying to solve, with his forced amalgamation plan, Ms Kedgley noted. “His main argument is that if Auckland is doing it, we should too. This won’t wash with Wellingtonians who know the importance of keeping local Councils close to the local communities they represent.

“Replacing Councils with toothless and impotent community boards, as Mr Dunne is proposing, is ridiculous.”

The Regional Council could have more power to decide Wellington’s strategic direction and over key infrastructure, Ms Kedgley acknowledged: “But Mr Dunne’s plan is exactly the wrong way to solve Wellington’s problems.”

For more on the Green Party’s response to the Auckland SuperCity proposal:
http://www.greens.org.nz/localgovernment/more

ENDS