Media Statement
Friday, 27 March 2009

Hon Peter Dunne
MP for Ohariu
Leader of UnitedFuture

Dunne: time for a Wellington ‘super city’

It’s time to look at the ‘super city’ concept for Wellington, United Future leader and Ohariu MP Peter Dunne said today, in the wake of today’s Royal Commission recommendation of an Auckland ‘super city’.

“If there are reasons for Auckland to do this, then the reasons behind a Wellington ‘super city’ are even more compelling,” Mr Dunne said, adding that such a relatively small population didn’t require six local councils and the Greater Wellington regional council.

“It’s local government overkill,” he said. “A population of about 445,000 people just doesn’t need that much bureaucracy hanging over the top of it.

“Basically, there is too much piecemeal, parochial governance – and the costs that come with that – for too small a population.

“It’s unnecessary and worst of all, it imposes inefficiencies and inconsistencies and a lack of overall strategic direction on the people of greater Wellington.

“Look at the approach to big and important infrastructure projects such as Transmission Gully – the point is there is no approach, so nothing gets done as fast or as well as it should be done,” he said.

“A population the size of greater Wellington can have its democratic needs protected and completely adequate representation from one strong council base, and it’s time we looked at the idea seriously,” Mr Dunne said.

“Wellington is a super city to live in. It's time to make it a ‘super city’ too,” he said.

ENDS

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