Rodney’s super-sized super city blunder
Rodney Hide’s most recent super-sized super city blunder is yet another example of why his reform plans have met with such widespread scepticism, says Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford.
Radio New Zealand reported today that: ‘Rodney Hide says none of the current mayors in the Auckland region is right to lead the new super-city.
‘He told an Auckland audience a new face would be best to lead the new council because it would be invigorating and bring a fresh perspective.’
“This is not only politically naïve, it is politically inappropriate and a remarkable display of arrogance,” says Phil Twyford.
“There were some pretty ruffled feathers when John Key appeared to tip his hat at John Banks for the new job last month.
“But Mr Key made a fast retreat, denied endorsing anyone and said that it was up to the people of Auckland to decide who the new mayor would be.
“Now, and in spite of the Prime Minister’s tacit acknowledgement that it would not be appropriate to take a stand on particular candidates, Local Government Minister Rodney Hide has waded in and dismissed all the mayors!
“Perhaps he’s annoyed that the leading right-wing candidate to date, John Banks, came second in the most recent poll to Manukau mayor Len Brown,” said Phil Twyford.
“Perhaps Rodney Hide and Sir Roger Douglas - who today made it clear he is the architect of the Local Government Minister’s reform plans for local government – are lining up a new candidate and giving Mr Banks the shove?
“Who knows? What is clear is that this is continuation of an attempted heavy-handed and authoritarian approach to the reform process as well as the reform itself - which has been rigorously rejected throughout the select committee submission process,” Phil Twyford said.
