Auckland should be a great place to live; a city that offers not just a brilliant lifestyle, but also an opportunity that comes with being the Gateway to the World.
The National-Act Government has taken away people’s voice in shaping a great new city. Labour is committed to giving the power back to Aucklanders.
Voters can help by supporting Labour or Labour-backed candidates in the local elections.
Auckland must be a city where any young Aucklander can grow up aspiring for a good job with the income to buy a home and raise a family.
The economy is the key ingredient in realising these aspirations.
A growing economy will provide jobs our young people need, and wealth to invest in modern infrastructure.
If we do not invest in infrastructure, electricity, ports, telecommunication, transport and water, the city’s economy would not perform at its best.
I believe in a city where decisions about regional issues including environment, planning, infrastructure and amenities are made coherently. We need the best practice for providing permits and consents, not a patchwork system where different rules, timeframes and prices apply in different parts of the region.
After decades of traffic hassles, we need a complete transport infrastructure.
I want Auckland to have an affordable, quick and convenient transport system for getting to work and enjoying leisure time.
We need a modern, electric rail network extending across the city, including a second harbour crossing, a central city loop and a link to the airport, and effective bus ways where rail cannot reach.
A Corporation?
National sees Auckland not as community, but as a corporation. It is creating the city in a way that is not transparent, accountable or responsive to its communities.
That would not work for all of us as Aucklanders.
With decisions imposed from above, Aucklanders would not control their own city.
National and ACT leader Rodney Hide are making decisions affecting Auckland from Wellington and then imposing the cost on Aucklanders.
They have been too quick to centralise power in the hands of a few, instead of all of Auckland, and too quick to impose the boardroom instead of trusting the ballot box.
My concern is that the Government plans (as admitted by Mr Hide) to sell our seaports, airport shares and even the water system.
Prime Minister John Key and his Deputy Bill English admit it at Party meetings and during private conversation with their friends but tell a different story in public.
National and Act have changed the legislation to let a future council sell off strategic assets without even consulting the public as currently required under the Local Government Act.
Power to People
The Government’s plan to turn over water infrastructure to private companies for up to 35 years is a part of the privatisation agenda.
Labour believes that Aucklanders do not want to see community assets sold off; we will restore and strengthen legal safeguards against their sale.
We will restore the local to Local Government by giving statutory powers to Local Boards, return to Auckland Council powers to determine how services are delivered rather than passing decisions over spending three quarters of revenue from rates to unaccountable, non-elected company directors.
We can make Auckland a truly great city.
Let us start by electing Labour and Labour-endorsed candidates at the forthcoming elections.
Phil Goff is Leader of the Opposition and the Labour Party. The above article is exclusive to Indian Newslink ©
