Today many Samoans in New Zealand, and around the world, have kept their ear close to the ground trying to reach family in Samoa and listening to any news reports for answers related to missing family and friends, says Labour MP for Mangere Su’a William Sio.

“Many Samoans, and people of other nationalities who have strong bonds to the people and the islands of Samoa, will be affected by this tragedy.

“The final death toll is yet to come in so I say to the Samoan community living in New Zealand: be strong in your hearts, be courageous, be of good cheer, and keep the faith in the difficult days that lie ahead.

“To those who already know they have lost a loved one, or have suffered injury, or loss of home, or livelihood, I extend my families’ love and our prayers to you.

I extend my heartfelt sympathies to His Highness the Head of State of Samoa, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi and to the Rt Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of Samoa for the tragic circumstances they and the people of Samoa find themselves in.

“Our thoughts are with all those suffering in the aftermath of the tsunami and earthquake on all the islands affected,” says Su’a William Sio.

“I also reflect to New Zealand the deepest appreciation of Samoan communities feel towards the country, knowing that the Government and New Zealanders, as individuals, local councils and many community organisations, are prepared and willing to step forward and help out.

“To New Zealanders, your unselfish actions lighten the burdens on the minds of Samoans and provide much comfort to the Samoan community both in New Zealand and Samoa.”

“Words can’t fully express what many of us are feeling at this time.  

Ends.

Mangere MP Su’a William Sio joined the chorus of voices from Mangere, and the city of Manukau, in wishing boxer To’aletai David Tua victory this weekend.

“We say to Tua: unleash that fire in you and bring it home, champ.

“We believe you can do it with that explosive left hook and the gift you’ve been given.

“Tua is one of Mangere’s most successful sons, he’s come through the school of hard knocks, and there are young people here who look up to him for inspiration,” says Su’a William Sio.

“As for Tua’s opponent, I’ve yet to meet anyone who thinks he has any hope against Tua.

 ”Samoan language radio stations, such as Radio Samoa, has been abuzz with supporters wishing Tua the best and offering prayers on his behalf. 

“Mangere, and Manukau, knows Tua can win, we know he is our champion, and we’re excited for him.

“We are staunchly loyal to Tua and united in wishing him all the best.

“Bring it all the way home on Saturday, we are with you all the way.”

Ends.

Peitai ane e le o tutusa lea faaaliga pe a faatusatusa i le toatele o tagata ua vaea mai galuega ona o le faaletonu o loo iai le tamaoaiga lautele o le atunuu.

Na faaalia e le Ofisa o Faamaumauga e moni ua siitia le tamaoaiga o Niu Sila, ae na o le 0.1% lea ua siitia ai le aofai o le faasiliga o le tamaoaiga pe a faatusa i leisi kuata o lenei tausaga.

O lona uiga o lenei siitaga e le atoa se tasi pasene, ma e le talafeagai se faaiuga faapea ua tuanai le faaletonu o le tamaoaiga o le atunuu, ao lea lava e le o solosolo lelei tulaga i galuega.

E faapefea ona faimai ua siitia ise tulaga lelei le tamaoaiga o Niu Sila, ao lenei e toatele tagata ua leai ni galuega?

Ao tulai mai le Leipa i le faigamalo na pito i sili ona maualalo le fuainumera o tagata e le faigaluega sa iai. Sa pito i sili foi ona maualalo le fuainumera o tagata sa resitala mo penifiti a le malo, ao tulai mai le Leipa i le faigamalo.

Ae talu mai lava ona faaletonu le tamaoaiga, ma tulai mai le National i le faigamalo, o le taimi lena na amata siitia ai le fuainumera o i latou ua leai ni galuega ma toe siitia ai foi le fuainumera o latou ua resitala mo penifiti a le Malo.

O le vaiaso ua te’a nei na faaalia mai ia te au e le National Distribution’s Union e faapea ua loka i fafo e le kamupani fai sima le toatele o le aufaigaluega i East Tamaki. Sa ou talosagaina le pule o lenei kamupani ina ia toe iloilo lana faaiuga ma tatala le avanoa i le aufaigaluega e toe foi mai e faigaluega.

Ao lokaina i fafo lenei aufaigaluega sa leai ni totogi e maua ma ua afaina ai aiga ma le totogia ai pili masani.

E toatele ni aiga ua afaina talu ai ua vaea mai i galuega. O nisi aiga, sa faigaluega uma le ulugalii ma e ui sa faigata le faasoasoaina o tupe maua, sa mafai lava ona gafatia. Ae ua vaea loa leisi ma toatasi le tagata ua faigaluega, tele loa le faaletonu aua ua le gafataulimaina le faasoasoa i pili masani o lea aiga.

O nisi o aiga, ua le mafai ona totogi i le taimi e tatau ai pili masani e pei o le eletise, o le suavai, faapea lafoga o fanua ma le mokesi o le fale.

Afai ua tuai le totogiina o ia pili, ua toe faaopoopo foi isi tupe e faasala ai le tuai ona totogi o le pili, ma atili ai lava ona mamafa le avega faigata o le totogiina o pili masani.

Ua silia ma le 6% le aofai o tagata ua leai ni galuega i Niu Sila ma ua oo atu le fuainumera o tagata ua le faigaluega i le 138,000.

O loo iai le talitonuga o le a sili atu ma le 200,000 le aofai o tagata e leai ni galuega i le faaiuga o le tausaga 2010 poo le amataga o le 2011.

E pito i sili ona maualuga pasene o tagata Pasefika ma Maori ua leai ni galuega ae e leai lava se fesoasoani a le Malo o fuafuaina e fesoasoani ai e faaleleia nei faaletonu.

Ua faaalia mai foi e le Matagaluega o Faamaumauga a le malo ua silia ma le 50,000 le fuainumera o tagata faaopoopo ua resitala mo penifiti a le Malo.

Na siitia mai le aofai o tagata o loo ola faamoemoe i penifiti mai le

274,605 sa iai I Novema o le 2008 i le 323,160 ua iai nei i le masina ua tuanai.

O le fuainumera o tagata o loo faamoemoe i penifiti a le Malo ua atagia ai foi le toatele o i latou ua leai ni galuega e mafai ona galulue ai.

Ua faaopoopo leisi 8000 o tina ma tamaitai e maua le penifiti o le DPB, poo matua taitoatasi.

Ua faaopoopo leisi 2000 o tagata ua maua le penifiti mo tagata e le atoatoa le malosi o le tino;

Ua faaopoopo foi leisi 8000 o tagata o loo maua penifiti mo tagata gasegase.

O nei faamaumauga e faamaonia ai e ui ua iai le siitaga laititi i le tamaoaiga, ae e lei ona oo ise tulaga e mafai ai ona tatou faapea ua lelei le tamaoaiga o Niu Sila.

O le mea lea e ao ai lava i lenei faigamalo ona vave faataunuu ni fuafuaga mo le puipuiga o galuega mo tagata lautele.

Paga lea, e foliga mai e leai lava se popole a lenei faigamalo i mafatiaga a le toatele o aiga Pasefika, ae maise latou ua vaea mai galuega.

O le popole o loo ia te au, afai e sosolo pea le siitia o le fuainumera o tagata e resitala mo penifiti, o le masani lava a le National, o le taumafai loa e tipi tupe mai ia fesoasoani.

E ao ona tatou sauni mo ia faigata.

Ends.

Families who are feeling confused by the mixed messages offered up by media commentators, who say that the worst is over in the recession, when the reality for many families is the harshness of lockouts, lost jobs, and lost incomes, should know that they are not alone.

A few weeks ago a local Favona based factory laid off 20 workers and most of them are still attempting to find work.  A week ago, a number of Manukau workers had been locked out from an East Tamaki based manufacturer, and I called on that employer to review their decision.  

While many employers are reasonable in their attitude to workers, in respect of maintaining jobs and negotiating pay increases, I am also told that there are those employers who have taken a very aggressive stance with increased lockouts and a refusal to consider even minimal pay adjustments. 

The actions of these employers not only impact on the individual staff member, but if that worker is locked out, or laid off, the impact reverberates right through the lives of their families and local communities.  These families come under extreme pressures.

There are families where the main breadwinner has lost his or her job for the first time and this is an extremely distressing situation for them.  There are families who have always been able to make ends meet with two incomes, and now are faced with only one income earner, and the possibility of not been able to keep up mortgage payments, and have been served notice by their local council for late payments of their rates bill.  As a result of the unexpected loss of jobs and incomes, there are also families who have had to postpone paying off regular bills, such as the power bill, and as a result their power has been turned off, and they have had to pay an extra $80 to have the power turned on again.

Dairy farmers are celebrating an improved payout; however, some dairy workers are facing a 6 week lockout to secure a basic collective agreement.

While many top executives are receiving massive pay increases, some workers are told that they should not expect a pay increase this year.

Last month media reported that Telecom boss Paul Reynolds received a $7 million pay package and that Telecom’s top 7 executives received $20.3 million during the year to June despite a 44 per cent fall in company profits. 

Meanwhile the Engineers Union say up to 300 more Telecom lines engineers have been made redundant in the last two weeks as Telecom’s new contractor, Visionstream, attempts to take over operations in Northland and most of Auckland including the city’s CBD.

Last month the Household Labour Force Survey revealed that the jobless rate has increased in each of the past six quarters, from a low of 3.5 percent in the quarter ended December 2007.  New Zealand’s unemployment rate has now hit a 10-year high of 6 percent and that during the last 12 months the number of unemployed rose by 48,000 to 138,000.  The data showed that women, Maori and Pacific were the most affected.  Government budget figures also showed that unemployment could surpass 8% or 200,000 people without jobs by the end of 2010 or early 2011.

Sure GDP figures alongside other economic indicators are showing some encouraging signs.  The Council of Trade Union points out that GDP figures show a 0.1 percent life in production GDP with the expenditure measure up by 0.4 percent.  However the annual contraction in GDP is 1.8% compared with +2.5% to June 2008.

Statistics NZ describes this as “the largest annual contraction in economic activity since the series began in June 1987.”  However, Statistics NZ also notes that the 0.1% quarterly lift is “so close to zero, no significant conclusions can be drawn that this is a turning point.  In other words it is still zero point of a percentage.

How can it be a turning point when the number of people on benefits has soared by nearly 50,000 since National took office.  The number of working age people collecting a main benefit had skyrocketed from 274,605 in November to 323,160 last month.

The real numbers of people losing their jobs is reflected in an increase in all benefit categories.

An additional 33,000 people on the unemployment benefit since this time last year.

Nearly 8000 more people on the DPB;

Nearly 2000 more people on the invalids benefits;

Over 8000 more people on the sickness benefit;

Over 1000 more people on other benefits.

These figures show there are significantly more unemployed than first thought, obviously single parents who lose their jobs end up on the DPB and not the unemployment benefit, while anyone with a disability who becomes unemployed may be put on to the sickness or invalids benefit.

This worrying increase in beneficiary numbers shows just how far in denial the National Government is about unemployment in this country.

We’ve been promised that this Government is taking people on the roadway to economic recovery.   The community tell me the real meaning of the term “roadway to economic recovery” is that some people will ride in comfortable limousines and be able to afford the petrol costs, while the rest of the population have been promised a bike and bicycle lane.  My daughter reminds me that the bike she wanted is $200 dollars at the Warehouse, and that doesn’t include the helmet.

So when I hear so called economic commentators saying the recession is over, we should all be saying Yeah Right!

Ends.

O lea ua pasia e le faigamalo a le National le tulafono lona lua e faavae ai le pulega fou mo Aukilani poo le Super City. 

Na faatopetopelau e le faigamalo le faaofiina o lea tulafono i le vaiaso ua te’a, ina ua faaofi le faitauga lona lua o le tulafono i le aso Lua i le ta o le lua i le aoauli, sosoo ai loa ma le amataina o fonotaga i le 9 i le taeao o le aso Lulu seia oo i le vaeluaga o le po, ma toe faaauau ai i le taeao o le aso Tofi seia oo i le leva o le po.

O ia uiga ua atagia ai amioga pulepuletutu a le faigamalo aua o loo ia i latou le fuainumera o le maota fono e mafai ai ona pasia nei tulafono.  Sa faapea foi ona faatopelau e le faigamalo le pasia o le tulafono muamua mo le Super City.

Ou te talitonu o nei faiga ua mautinoa ai faiga taufaasese a le Malo i le faalele o faamatalaga faapea o loo faalogo i finagalo o tagata Aukilani ma fia iloa finagalo o tagata lautele, ae mulimuliane e faia lava le mea ua latou loto iai e aunoa ma se popole pe amanaiaina o finagalo sa faaalia e tagata lautele.

Ou te talitonu o le faavae fou o le Super City o le a afaina ai tu faatemokarasi e pei ona masani ai pulega o faigamalo laiti i Niu Sila.

Ua sui le tulafono e le Malo ma o le faavae o le Super City i Aukilani, ua faatulaga nei e tasi le Pulenuu e palotaina e tagata uma e aofia ai Franklin, Papakura, Manukau, Aukilani tutonu, Waitakere, North Shore, ma Rodney.

Ua ave le malosiaga i le Pulenuu e na te filifilia ai le sui pulenuu ma taitaifono o soa komiti a le Super City.  Ua faavasega e le tulafono se vaega tupe tele e faaaoga e le Pulenuu fou e na te faafaigaluegaina ni tagata faigaluega e faapitoa i le tautuaina o ia ma le faatinoina o ana faatonuga.  Ua tuuina foi i le Pulenuu fou le aiatatau e na te faatulagaina ai tupe faaalu mo galuega faatino a le Super City.  O ia malosiaga ose faiga fou lea ua faatulafonoina nei e le Malo a le National.

Nao le 20 sui o le pulega fou poo councillors o le a palotaina faaleitumalo, peitai ane e lei faavasegaina poo fea tonu tuaoi o ia itumalo.

O loo faamoemoe e oo atu ia Mati 2010 ua maea galuega a le Komisi Faapitoa o le a galue mo le faavasegaina o tuaoi mo itumalo faigapalota mo le Super City, ma iloa ai pe fia itumalo, ae fia foi councillors a le itumalo.

Ua mautinoa foi i le tulafono o le a iai ni komiti mo aai taitasi poo ni local boards i le va o le 20 – 30 mo Aukilani aoao.  E ui o loo iai ni malosiaga i ia komiti mo le faatinoga o galuega ma faaiuga faatatau i aai taitasi e latou te pulea, peitai ane e pule aoao lava le Super City a le Pulenuu ma sui usufono e 20.  E le mafai ona gaioi ia komiti seia vagana ua aumai le faatagana mai le Super City.

Ua teena e le Malo le iai oni nofoa faapitoa mo Maori.  Sa ou fesiligia pe moni ua latou mulimuli i faiga faailogalanu a le Minisita o Faigamalo laiti ma lana pati o le Act.   E leai se tali. 

Sa ou taufaaofi le teuteuga o le tulafono ina ia aloaia se Komiti Faufautua a le Pasefika ae teena e le National ma Act ina ua palotaina lea teuteuga.   Sa ou fesiligia pe aisea e faapea mai ai e taua tagata Pasefika ao lea latou te le taliaina se komiti a tagata Pasefika e faufautua i le pulega fou? E leai foi se tali a le Malo. 

Ona ou fai atu lea iai, ua aliali ai ii le vaavaa o le faigamalo a le National ma le Act.  Ua latou teena le iai o Maori, Pasefika ma Asia, ona o loo naunau lava nao tagata Papalagi e maua tupe e ofi atu i le pulega fou o Aukilani.  Ua iloa ai foi nao le faalele o faamatalaga ma faia a latou faasalalauga faapea e taua ia i latou tagata Pasefika, ae e le moni ia faamatalaga ma oni faiga taufaasese.  Ua manino ai foi uiga masani lava lea a le National aua e moni o le Minisita o Faigamalo Laiti o loo taulamua i lea tulafono, ae o loo lagolago atoatoa iai National ma le Palemia.

E faigata ona faamasino le mea oi le loto o le tagata, ae e mafai ona faamasino upu ma ana galuega faatino.

Ua le o tutusa faamatalaga a le Malo faapea e taua Maori, Pasefika ma Asia, aua a fua i tulafono ua pasia faatopetope mo le Super City, e leai lava se aiaiga e tasi o nei tulafono e iloa ai se latou faatauaina o tatou faapea tatou uso Maori ma Asia. 

O le mea lea ia mataitu lelei uiga o le National, ae maise pe afai e te fou mai i Niu Sila.

Ends.

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.

Locking out workers at the East Tamaki’s Bridgeman Concrete plant will hurt families relying on those wages to look after children and put food on the table, says Mangere MP Su’a William Sio.

“I urge the management of Bridgeman Concrete to reconsider their decision to lock out workers and allow them to return to work.

“If Bridgeman Concrete does not allow workers back to work, and continues to lock them out, it will cripple families financially and multiple stresses for them at home, says Su’a William Sio.

“For their sakes, their families and our local communities, I plead with Bridgeman Concrete to return to the negotiating table and negotiate in good faith. The workers need to be treated fairly and with dignity.

“Those families and workers need these jobs, they are not on high paying hourly rates and they don’t have it easy by any means.

“With high unemployment and the Government’s refusal to protect workers, it’s worrying to see some employers taking advantage of workers.

“Those workers affected in this lock-out are also the same groups of people most affected by this recession and unemployment, as the statistics already show.

Ends

First Speech in Committee 10:32am

I think Labour has stated clearly that we are not opposed to the reform of the Auckland region. In fact, we have asked for it. But we are saying to the Government that the process is flawed and undemocratic, and I emphasise that it is not visionary enough. There might be a vision in the structure for businesses, but there is no vision for the rest of the population.

I stated in my second reading speech on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill that the Auckland region is home to 1.4 million people and about 180 different ethnic groups, and it has the highest Māori population anywhere in New Zealand. In Māngere alone, 20 percent of the population are of Māori heritage, and about 60 percent of the population are of Pacific heritage. Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities are asking where the vision is. They are asking where they fit into this structure. They are asking where they are being included in the future structure of the Auckland region. Labour believes in having a Māori voice on the Auckland Council. It is about providing a positive vision for the people. It is about taking everyone along. It is about setting good leadership for that region to aspire to.

I ask members opposite whether they are familiar with these names: Ngāpuhi, Waikato, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tūhoe, Te Rarawa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whātua, Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Ngāti Kahu. Those are the iwi that the people of Māngere are affiliated to. I ask members opposite whether they are familiar with these names: Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau-a-apanui, Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Tahu, Kai Tahu, Ngāti Te Rangi, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Raukawa, Whakatōhea, Ngāti Pikiao, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Ruanui, Te Tai Tokerau, Ngāti Maru, and Ngāti Whakauē. Those are all the hapū that people in Māngere are affiliated to. I ask Government members whether they acknowledge the existence of these people. Do they acknowledge that they have a place in the future of Aotearoa New Zealand? If so, they need to heed the voice that has declared to me and many other MPs in Auckland that Māori want their own voice in the new super-city governance structure.

Although I am proud to represent the 20 percent of Māori who reside in Auckland, I am fully aware that I am not Māori. Māori want their own voice. Members say that Māori issues are hard, but they caved on Mr Hide’s tantrum. It was so easy. He had only to say the word and members caved in to him. Mr Henare has called Mr Hide a buffoon and a jerk-off, but what will he do about it? What will he do about supporting Māori seats? Nothing. I have asked him to cross the floor. Both Mr Henare and Mr Hide ought to be sent to boot camps.

It is true that there have been Māori on the different city councils of our Auckland region, but they are elected from small wards. I will give members an example. Ōtara, with a population of about 35,000, has had Māori councillors. Councillor Kūkū Wawatai was for many years the deputy mayor of Manukau City. Councillor Reuben Wiki represented the Ōtara ward in Manukau City for many, many years. But those Māori councillors came from small wards where there was a large Māori population that recognised that those people provided good leadership in those small communities.

Second Speech in Committee 11.48am

Fouth Speech in Committee 16:37pm

Thank you for the opportunity to speak. In terms of the boundaries, one has to ask why the Government is so determined to hand over Auckland’s dams to the Waikato Regional Council. We heard many contentious issues as we listened to the people of Auckland take the time to submit on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill. One of those issues was the northern and southern boundaries. It is quite good that the Government decided to change its mind at the eleventh hour on the northern boundary. I suppose it did so because its secret agenda had been revealed for all to see. The Government was linking itself closely to Mr Hide’s business people who want to develop that part of northern Rodney without having to go through the normal council consent process.

But we have to come back to the southern boundary and to recognise that the bill proposes to partition the Franklin District, with the north joining the Auckland Council and the southern part joining the Waikato District Council. Some members of this House would have received a recent email from Mr Colin Bull, who feels strongly about this issue. So strong is his belief that he believes that the National Government, to which he is affiliated—I am not sure whether he is a supporter or a member of the National Party, but nevertheless he is quite close to it—is making the wrong decision. Funnily enough, when the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee was in Papakura and then in Franklin, listening to submitters, I said to the chairman, the Hon John Carter, that National will get bitten by this bill. I could hear the anger of the submitters, and I said that I thought they were mainly National supporters. He turned to me and said: “What do you mean, saying they are our supporters? They are our members!”. People there were fund-raisers for the National Party, and they are the people the Government will have a problem with.

One of the media headlines yesterday was: “Nat MP critical of super-city boundary back-down”. The member for Hunua, Dr Hutchison, said: “… the boundary goes through the streets of Waiuku,”. The southern boundary is critical because not only will critical water supplies—54 percent of Auckland’s total water supply—be cut off but also prime regional parks land, including three major regional parks, all paid for by Auckland ratepayers and all managed by the Auckland Regional Council, will be given away. The boundary divides the towns of Waiuku and Pukekohe, separating the residents of northern Franklin from essential services and infrastructure. Earlier today, the chair of the Auckland Regional Council stated in a press release: “This is absurd and definitely not good local government.” The call we make to the Government on behalf of the people of Auckland is that it is not too late to change the southern boundary, to save face, and to get things right. The Government should listen to the people of Auckland.

The other area that is contentious, in so far as the people of Auckland are concerned, is the local boards. The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance came out, after 18 months of extensive research and consultation, and said that, yes, there would be a unitary authority, and underneath that unitary authority there would be local boards of sufficient size to meet and manage the existing needs of the ratepayers of Auckland, and also of sufficient size to recognise that the transition from the existing eight local territorial authorities to a single unitary authority would take time. It would need more time than the Government gave the people of Auckland when it rammed the first Auckland bill through under urgency. During the select committee process people felt they were not given enough time. The process was hasty and rushed, and, of course, the experience of many Aucklanders is that when Governments do that, they get things wrong.

Fifth Speech in Committee 20:17pm 

SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Māngere) : I have no doubt that the Hon John Carter believes what he says about the changes in the bill driving efficiencies, but I want to reflect to him the experience of local communities. When the National Government says it will drive efficiencies, the experience of local communities is that some people will lose their jobs. There is uncertainty about those words, and people think that they mean that something will be cut. So far, the experience of the public in the Auckland region, in the 9 months of having a National Government, is that there have been significant cuts in health and education. That is the experience they think of when they hear those particular words. So it is quite important to think of that while we are listening to those comments.

The other thing I want to say is that the Hon George Hawkins, Ross Robertson, and I ran a survey in the early months of this year. We asked people what they felt would happen with the Government’s proposal of a super-city. Overwhelmingly, the response from the survey, or the referendum, was that people perceived that there would be increased rates as a result of the super-city structure. That is not hard for people to imagine, because local councils struggle, year in, year out, in an effort to maintain rates. It has been the experience of ratepayers throughout the Auckland region that rates go up and up. It has been our experience in Manukau that we have attempted to try to always limit the increases of expenditure to the rate of inflation. But that has been quite difficult because infrastructure such as roads, and other social infrastructure, does not get recorded in the rate of inflation calculations.

I also say that Labour has been quite clear from the start. It has always supported the reform of Auckland governance because it has been Labour’s desire. Labour wants to build a strong region. We want a dynamic region. We want an inclusive region. We want strong communities. But the proposal that has been put up by the Government is flawed and undemocratic. That is the way the people of Auckland perceive it.

I say also to Government Ministers that I know they are irked about the way we have argued about the bill, but these are not minor tinkerings around the edges of the local government structure. The changes are significant, I say to Mr Hide. They are significant changes that alter the face and the landscape of local government. It has not been done before. If Labour were putting together this proposal, we would take our time to make sure that everybody was on board.

Government members have argued and said that this is a journey, and they have talked about the “vehicle”. If the bill is the vehicle to take us into the future, then we need to get everybody on board. People are not on board, because they do not believe that the Government is doing this for the right reasons or that the structure will strengthen democracy. They believe that it will do the opposite.

I will talk briefly about the social issues. Members of the Auckland Governance Legislation Committee will have heard from the overwhelming response from submitters in the Auckland region how they have concerns about whether the new structure will be able to maintain and sustain the linkages they currently have with the various city councils in Manukau and elsewhere. Many submitters argued that there has to be a proper structure that is legislated for, with sufficient resources to provide ongoing support for the needs, projects, and community activities that are currently happening for children, young people, and libraries.