supercity
Voting system too old-fashioned for youthful Auckland
Would-be local politicians are increasingly techno-savvy campaigners.
Len Brown, John Banks and Andrew Williams, among other mayoral and council office hopefuls, have campaign websites.
But will this be enough to engage apathetic young voters?
Aucklanders love a good rant. Unreliable public transport, soaring rates and allowance-liberal local politicians provide easy tirade-fodder, but come election time it seems residents [...]
Banks fails to calm K Rd’s super city fears
Business owners on Auckland’s iconic Karangahape Rd are looking to politicians for answers to their questions about the impact of the supercity.
At the Karangahape Road Business Association’s annual general meeting, Mayor John Banks attempted to promote his leadership to little or no effect.
Barry Blown-Smith, owner of a record store on the street, was one of [...]
Supercity structure not set in stone
The Auckland supercity may be reinvented as early as after next year’s election unless its proposed structure gains wide support across Parliament, says a public policy expert.
“The thing we really want to avoid above all else is for the National-Act Government to have one view on how Auckland should be governed and then a Labour-led [...]
Supercity’s focus far from Auckland’s cultural heart
Stalwarts of the Auckland theatre scene are concerned the city’s cultural heart is on the line if the new supercity structure compromises current funding of the arts.
Auckland Theatre Company general manager Lester McGrath says the Auckland City Council is a major funder of the arts in Auckland and hopes council support will continue, come the [...]
Supercity is racing ahead without Aucklanders, says policy expert
The Government is rushing through changes to Auckland governance and leaving the people of Auckland out of the process, says a public policy expert.
The director of AUT University’s Institute of Public Policy, David Wilson, says the speed at which the Government has pushed forward its plan for the Auckland supercity has left Aucklanders “gasping and [...]
Brown plans link between council and business if elected
Len Brown has unveiled plans for a business board under the new Auckland supercity – that is if he is elected mayor.
The Manukau mayor announced today he would appoint 20 to 30 representatives of small, medium and large-sized businesses and academics to represent business in Auckland.
Mr Brown said he was interested in including business people [...]
Waiheke residents question Supercity
Waiheke Islanders feel they have been left out of the loop in the whole Auckland Supercity process, questioning just how their community will be affected.
Many residents have little or no confidence their views have been fully taken into account, as a parliamentary select committee gets set to deliver its verdict on the Supercity early next [...]
Supercity not so super after all, says Carter
The proposed Auckland supercity won’t be as powerful as Franklin residents fear, according to Associate Local Government Minister John Carter.
Carter told a packed public meeting in Pukekohe that residents need not be afraid of having their voices drowned out if Franklin were to become part of Auckland City Council.
“[The mayor] will have no [...]
Democracy shrunk, no questions asked
Changes to Auckland’s governance have polarised MPs and seen thousands marching in the streets, but the Government is defending the way it has gone about things.
Associate minister of local government John Carter says the process is “democracy at its best” but others have their doubts.
Green MP Sue Kedgley says the Government has “shrunk local democracy [...]
Te Waha Nui is written and edited by student journalists on the Post-graduate Diploma in Communication Studies and Bachelor of Communication Studies courses at AUT University. Views expressed are those of the editorial team and contributors and not of the University