Waitakere and Helensville electorates show low support for Government super city proposals

Almost half of people in Waitakere, the country’s fifth largest city, oppose plans for a super city.

A telephone survey of 401 residents shows 47% are not in favour of the Government’s plan.

Waitakere City Council Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said:

"Make no mistake, the people of Auckland are waking up to exactly what this means. And they don't like it.

“Last week over 1000 people marched through our streets and now these results should sound a real warning to
the Minister and the Government.”

The poll results also found an overwhelming 72% of John Key’s electorate of Helensville and 67% of Waitakere
electorate (Paula Bennett) support the six-city model as recommended by the Royal Commission, but rejected
by the Government. Only 16% of Waitakere residents and 19% of Helensville residents favour the
Government-proposed ‘local boards’.

The poll was conducted by Phoenix Research Limited between 17 and 20 April 2009 as a telephone survey of
401 Waitakere City residents aged 18 and over, including 222 in the Waitakere electorate and 100 in Helensville.



“Overseas experience in places like Brisbane and Toronto shows that public opposition to mega-amalgamations
increases with time. In fact after a decade, people in Toronto are still protesting,” said Penny Hulse.

“The Royal Commission spent 18 months and millions of dollars coming up with its recommendations. These
were rejected within days by Rodney Hide (Local Government Minister).”

“We'd like to see his analysis for how 20-30 powerless little boards could work and deliver better democracy,
and better services than the six or 11 council model."