Auckland Issues
Rates shouldn't fund mountain board: cones group
The New Zealand Herald
3 February 2010
3 February 2010
An interest group believes that ratepayers shouldn't be lumped with the ongoing costs of a potential new management regime settling claims over Auckland...More>
Community groups unite to lobby Super City
The New Zealand Herald
2 February 2010
2 February 2010
Auckland City. Photo / Janna Dixon Auckland's disparate community groups are gingerly coming together to present a united face to the Super City. Groups focused on existing cities that will cease to exist in November, such as Community Waitakere and North Shore Community and Social Services, have...More>
Councils get okay to buy airport shares
The New Zealand Herald
28 January 2010
28 January 2010
Auckland City Council and Manukau City Council have both been given authority to spend millions of dollars to take part in a capital raising by Auckland International Airport Ltd (AIA) so they can maintain their holdings in the...More>
Labour and Greens joining forces against super city
The National Business Review
27 January 2010
27 January 2010
Labour and the Greens are joining forces to ramp up political opposition to the third super city bill. The bill completes the legislative framework for the reform of Auckland's...More>
Community board gets ready for its future
Auckland - Stuff.co.nz
26 January 2010
26 January 2010
Relevant offers The Waiheke Community Board will be discussing at its first meeting of the year what it wants from government's third super-city bill, with final submissions due next...More>
Local democracy lost in transition, critics warn
The New Zealand Herald
21 January 2010
21 January 2010
Concern is growing over what critics see as erosion of local democracy nine months before the start of the Auckland Super City. Concerns are also being raised about the business units in charge of areas such as transport and water, which will be run by unelected...More>
New law will curb risky ventures by councils - Hide
Radio New Zealand
20 January 2010
20 January 2010
Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says proposed legislation will make it harder for a repeat of financial disasters like the LA Galaxy football match in...More>
Fed Farmers hits out at land tax idea
The New Zealand Herald
20 January 2010
20 January 2010
Expand Shrink Federated Farmers has hit out at the Tax Working Group's recommendation for a land tax, saying the tax could cost farmers NZ$525 million...More>
Outside help urged for linkup
Waikato Times
14 January 2010
14 January 2010
A Waipa councillor, who says he knew nothing of discussions about creating a Waikato super council, is calling for an independent commissioner to direct the...More>
Hamilton city 'wall' not wanted
Waikato Times
14 January 2010
14 January 2010
The group pushing for a super region says an approach to merge the "tight three" local councils is like putting a wall across the city. And former Hamilton City Council mayor Margaret Evans, who is leading the pro-super region group which could comprise 11 councils, said regional council Environment Waikato.More>
Bhatnagar out of Super City race
The New Zealand Herald
14 January 2010
14 January 2010
High-profile Auckland City councillor Aaron Bhatnagar has decided not to stand for election to the Super City council - but could still play a role if Mayor John Banks wins the super...More>
Transport Minister opens 21st Century Newmarket Train Station
Auckland Regional Transport Authority
13 January 2010
13 January 2010
The Minister of Transport, Steven Joyce, will join an array of Auckland dignitaries including Local Government Minister Rodney Hide and the Mayor of Auckland, John Banks, to officially open a state of the art new Newmarket train station at a special celebration hosted by the Auckland Regional...More>
Govt considers short-term Queens Wharf revamp
The New Zealand Herald
13 January 2010
13 January 2010
Expand Shrink A short-term solution to revamping Queens Wharf could be on the cards if Auckland cannot get its act together. Prime Minister John Key said a short-term option is being looked at and could cost between $15 million and $20m but half of that will be capital expenditure which can be used in the..More>
Call for commissioner
Auckland - Stuff.co.nz
12 January 2010
12 January 2010
Relevant offers An "arrogant and incompetent" Kaipara District Council should go, Northland Regional Council vice-chairman Ian Walker says. Mr Walker says the Kaipara council is close to needing a commissioner, with its "arrogant approach and incompetence", and needs to...More>
Wharf revamp 'a kneejerk reaction'
The New Zealand Herald
12 January 2010
12 January 2010
A bigger and more expensive revamp of Queens Wharf is a last-minute kneejerk reaction to the Rugby World Cup, says Heart of the City chief executive Alex...More>
Mayors come out in support of airport's Queensland expansion
The New Zealand Herald
12 January 2010
12 January 2010
The mayors of Manukau and Auckland City have spoken out in support of Auckland International Airport's latest offshore investments in Queensland's Cairns and Mackay...More>
Govt's $100m Plan B for Queens Wharf
The New Zealand Herald
11 January 2010
11 January 2010
Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully is pressing Auckland leaders to adopt a bigger and more expensive revamp for Queens Wharf than was proposed in the much-maligned design contest dumped in...More>
Mayors eyeing 'super' merger
Waikato Times
7 January 2010
7 January 2010
An investigation into forming a "Waikato super council" is likely to begin this year after two of the region's mayors have openly signalled their support for looking at how a single governing body could be up and running by the 2013 local body...More>
It's mayor or nothing for candidate Brown
Auckland - Stuff.co.nz
6 January 2010
6 January 2010
Relevant offers Two supercity mayoral candidates are on the campaign trail already, nearly a year ahead of local body elections and before the final local government act has been passed in...More>
Border change proposal angers business leaders
The New Zealand Herald
5 January 2010
5 January 2010
Expand Shrink The Kingsland Business Society is angry at proposed Super City boundaries which it says will chop membership between two different wards, hampering 2011 Rugby World Cup promotion...More>
Grant Gillon: Don't overlook local input
The New Zealand Herald
5 January 2010
5 January 2010
Will the new Auckland Council be able to solve real issues, asks Grant Gillon. Local government was established to enable local communities to develop along the lines they considered best for their...More>
Super City contestant prepares for 'most exciting year of life'
The New Zealand Herald
3 January 2010
3 January 2010
Auckland City Mayor John Banks plans to spend time at home with family these holidays before "getting out and about to enjoy the many events that Auckland celebrates over the summer".More>
2009 in review: Economy tops main political stories
The National Business Review
29 December 2009
29 December 2009
THE ECONOMY The year dawned under the cloud of a global financial crisis. The economy and recession dominated the year in politics, seeing numbers on the unemployment benefits soar to around 60,000 and bleak Crown accounts threaten New Zealand's credit...More>
MPs lack breadth of vision shown in 1870 dealings with Maori
The New Zealand Herald
28 December 2009
28 December 2009
Rejecting an offer to participate in the Super City insults tangata whenua, says David Simmons. Expand Shrink We all know that New Zealand was the first country to give the vote to women in 1893, but do we know too that 25 years earlier Maori became members of Parliament? In 1865 Maori members were.More>