Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Labour criticises 'undemocratic' structure for Auckland

Updated at 6:51 pm on 17 March 2010

The Labour Party has grilled the Government in Parliament about its plans to have Auckland's key assets and services run by organisations it says will be undemocratic.

The organisations, which will control three-quarters of Auckland's most valuable assets, will be appointed in the interim by a new Auckland council and the Government.

They will be guided by long-term plans, but Labour leader Phil Goff questioned the Government about why they were to be allowed to hold their meetings in private.

Deputy Prime Minister Bill English replied that council-controlled organisations had been in operation for many years but he signalled changes could be made to the rules as part of the select committee process.

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