Ron Mark MP
Spokesperson on Local Government

4 December 2014

Wellington Super City Plan ‘Deadly’

A Wellington Super City will be the death knell for smaller centres and local decision making, says New Zealand First.

“If the Local Government Commission and the National Government get their way any independence and power will be removed, with Wellington city dominating at the cost of many communities,” says Wairarapa-based Local Government spokesperson Ron Mark.

“The commission’s decision today in favour of creating a Wellington Super City was totally predictable - there being an obvious bias from the outset towards a super city amalgamation over a Wairarapa unitary authority.

“We have heard all the talk about savings before – but no big savings have eventuated from the creation of the Auckland super city.

“Instead of making savings ratepayers will find their rates rocket to pay for the extravagances of a super city.

“The new Wellington Super City will be strangled by bureaucracy – and likely be stifled by the creation of a multi-iwi board and Natural Resources Management Committee that will be able to make all sorts of demands.

“The commission says it is independent but this proposal smacks of an ideological view that big is better and democracy doesn’t matter - hallmarks of National-ACT party thinking.

“The commission claims existing councils do not have the resources, and suggests they cannot make savings. It is clear they did not study the work of the affected councils or take any notice of the millions of dollars being saved through shared services and joint contracting.

“The biggest threat to funding infrastructure is from the government’s cuts to road funding.

“If the commission wants to do a proper assessment it will discover that many councils run tight ships, so why let Wellington swallow them up.”

ENDS

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