18 September 2009 Media Statement

Super City Fails Participation For Diverse Communities

The newly passed Auckland Council Bill fails to provide any mechanism to allow city-wide participation across our diverse communities which is crucial to Auckland as the most populated and culturally diverse region in the country, says Mangere MP Su’a William Sio.

“Auckland is home to 1.4 million people from different ethnic groups. It has the highest Maori population, the highest Pacific population, and the highest Asian population. Seventy percent of new migrants settle in the Auckland region with a third of Aucklanders born overseas.

“It’s ironic that the Select Committee report acknowledges the needs of local and diverse communities yet the Bill ignores those views and removes local authority and local resources from local boards to be held and determined by the Auckland Council.

Labour fought hard to put up amendments to the Bill to protect the local voice of Auckland’s diverse communities. But it was voted down by the National Act Government.

“As I said in the House, Labour supports local government reforms but we opposed this Bill because it is flawed and undemocratic. The whole consultation process, as many Aucklanders from all parties have already expressed to me, has been a sham. We will have an authority that will have an impact on the lives of the people of Auckland and its power will be held by a few.

“There will be 20 councillors representing 1.4 million people, and that is a population of over 70,000 for each councillor. That is more than the population represented by most MPs. That is similar to one councillor representing a ward like Manurewa where there are currently 4 councillors representing the 70,000 plus population living there.

“What drives the Government’s intent not to allow for that participation from diverse communities and hearing local voices is fear. It intends to keep the governance, the decision making, to a select few.

“The National Act Government cannot take everyone on this journey into the future unless we ensure that the diversity of the communities is acknowledged, recognised, and tapped into.

“As a region, and indeed as a country, we must be comfortable with people of different colours, who speak different languages, who have different religious beliefs, and who have different lifestyles.

“We must take this diversity and find our unity and strength in it. We must be united in our acceptance of diversity so that we can release the full potential of Aucklanders.

Auckland is, after all, the region that impacts on the rest of the nation.

ends

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