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Labour has slammed the government changes to the Auckland SuperCity legislation, announced this afternoon after submissions to the parliamentary committee about the new structure.
MP Phil Twyford calls insulting the decision for Auckland Transport and other CCOs to “publish a glossy brochure and hold a press conference every three months,” to counter criticism that the CCOs will not be publicly accountable, hold public meetings and issue public agendas.
Labour says the government calling that ‘accountability’ is an insult to Aucklanders.
Phil Twyford says the government has ignored Aucklanders’ big complaints about the new laws.
“The third super city bill, which was tabled in Parliament today, gives no real power in law for local boards and fails to shift normal civic activity out of council-owned companies and back into the Auckland Council. All of which Aucklanders have clearly called for.”
“This is a massive con job on Aucklanders. The Government is ignoring the voices of Aucklanders who say these changes will make Auckland governance less accountable and less transparent.
He said this confirms the Government’s corporatisation plans for Auckland saying the CCOs “are going to be so big and so powerful it will be difficult for the council and mayor to hold them accountable.”
“The Government insists on setting up the transport agency as a CCO, against the wishes of Aucklanders and the advice of four government departments who said it would reduce the transparency and accountability to ratepayers.
“This Government has ignored the majority of submitters who said they wanted to see the powers of local boards guaranteed in law.
“After a year of promising they would empower local boards they have failed to deliver. Local boards have no ability to make bylaws and the Council doesn’t have to delegate powers to the boards if they deem certain decisions better made regionally.“Aucklanders deserved better from this Government. They deserved to have a say in the future of their city. This Government has denied them that,” Phil Twyford.
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