6 July 2009

Media Release

Elect all Auckland Councillors from Wards, says Chamber of Commerce

The Auckland Chamber of Commerce wants all 20 Auckland councillors elected from wards – rather than 12 from wards and 8 at-large as currently proposed.

Presenting to the Auckland Governance Select Committee today, Chamber head Michael Barnett said the current proposal of having 20-30 Local Boards and also providing for 12 Wards for electing councillors “creates confusion.”

Instead, the Chamber proposed that a division of Auckland into 20 Wards of about 60,000 residents in each would be a fairer and easier to understand system of ‘local’ representation.

Each Ward would elect five members - one councillor would be elected to the new Auckland Council and four who would become Ward councillors.

“The end point of this exercise should be a governance model that is easy to do business with in every sense of the word, and easy for all of us to participate in,” said Mr Barnett.

ENDS