Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

North Shore council objects to local body appointment

Updated at 4:39 pm on 19 May 2009

North Shore City Council is objecting to an appointment to the Local Government Commission made by Local Government Minister Rodney Hide.

Mr Hide has appointed the former head of the One Auckland lobby group, Grant Kirby, to the commission to liaise with the agency that will oversee the establishment of Auckland's super-city council.

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams says commissioners should be independent and impartial, while Mr Kirby has clear opinions. The council has passed a motion seeking a review of the appointment.

Mr Hide has defended Mr Kirby's appointment, saying the commission's job is to draw up boundaries for the super-city, not decide on the issues that Mr Williams has concerns about.

Mr Kirby responded to claims of bias, saying he is very experienced in local government and has always been impartial. He says he is not Mr Hide's camp and has only met the minister once before.

Mr Kirby replaces Wynne Raymond, of Canterbury, who was the only representative from the South Island on the commission. It is now made up of two Aucklanders and one Wellingtonian.

Mr Raymond says the commission is being hijacked by Aucklanders. He says he accepts that the amalgamation of Auckland's councils is the biggest job in local government, but the commission must look wider.

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