21 May 2009

Fears for health services under 'Kremlin' super-city

7:21 pm on 21 May 2009

The proposed Auckland super-city has been described as a Kremlin-like structure that will have a detrimental effect on health - particularly in areas with large Pacific populations.

Auckland's eight councils are to be amalgamated into one super-council with one mayor elected by voters and up to 30 community boards.

Professor John Raeburn, an adjunct professor of public health at Auckland University of Technology, says the super-city will disrupt working relationships between health providers and local authorities.

He says the structure will see resources centralised and managed by people likely to be out of touch with regional issues.

Tess Liew, a community project manager in Glen Innes where many Pacific Islanders live, says that is already happening.

She says it took 10 months to get a public toilet repaired in Glen Innes compared with two days in the wealthy suburb of Remuera.

Ms Liew says the same thing will happen with health resources and people who feel disconnected from power often have poor health status.

Professor Raeburn believes the super-coucil is likely to be made up of people who are white, male and wealthy.