DAVID THORNTON

Writer and commentator on Local Government

77 Hillcrest Ave, Northcote, NORTH SHORE CITY

ph [09] 443 5302  mob 0274 831 825

david@kandu.co.nz 

[David Thornton is a former - North Shore City Councillor, Glenfield Community Board Member, member of Auckland Regional Land Transport Committee. He is currently organiser of NoMoreRates.com, chairman of Glenfield Ratepayers and chairman of Glenfield Community Centre.]

MEDIA RELEASE                    20th May 2007

[Comments following release of latest report on changes to Auckland regional governance]

New Auckland governance proposals like ‘rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic’.

New ‘tax’ on drinking water to pay for roads and transport.

While most people would agree that governance of the Auckland region needs a major shake-up, the latest discussion paper on the issue is in the ‘rearranging the deck-chairs on the Titanic’ category.

Prepared by local and central government bureaucrats for the Auckland ‘Political Reference Group’ - dominated by the Mayors of the region – the latest paper ‘Report on Progress’ suggests reshuffling existing regional bodies such as the Regional Growth Forum and the Regional Land Transport Committee into a new Regional Sustainable Development Forum.

It also proposes transferring many powers from local councils to a souped-up GAC or Greater Auckland Council [the ARC transformed into the old ARA] – with all rating powers going to this new GAC.

The report relies heavily on new funding becoming available – including the already announced regional fuel tax, and various ‘tourist taxes’.

The other new tax is hidden behind a proposal that Watercare Services Ltd, supplier of drinking water to Auckland via the local councils, should be allowed to pay dividends to its shareholder councils.

Those councils will be required to spend these dividends on stormwater projects – and in turn the existing funding for stormwater from regional assets in the ARC group would be diverted to roads and transport costs.

Obviously Watercare will need to raise its water supply prices to create the profits from which these dividends will be paid.

In simple terms what this means is that every time Aucklanders turn on the tap for a glass of water they will be helping to pay for Auckland’s roads and public transport.

Other proposals in the Progress Report would, if implemented, have the effect of surrendering local democracy to a dominant regional council which would be acting largely under the direction of central government – meaning the end of effective local decision-making in the Auckland Region.

Councils of the region are now required to report their opinions to the Political Reference Group by June 18th to enable a final set of proposals to go to Government in early July.

The Government’s decision will not be known until after nominations open for this year’s local elections.

Ends

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