John MacDonald: Christchurch's only amalgamation option

I heard Barry Soper say yesterday that, despite all the hard talk, the Government’s so-called fast-tracking of local government amalgamation won’t actually happen anytime soon. 

Certainly not before the election. Which is true. Because this is a big change the Government wants to see happen. 

But, in my mind, it can’t happen soon enough. 

The fast-tracking bit is the councils being told that, if they don’t come up with an amalgomation plan within three months, the government will do it for them. 

Waimakariri Mayor Dan Gordon is already pushing back. He’s not excited about the idea. Saying his community has made it clear that it doesn’t want change. 

Tell that to the Government, though. Which admits that it didn’t campaign on local government reform at the last election but believes there is “broad support” for what it’s planning to do. 

There’s no doubt in my mind that having nearly 70 local councils in a country the size of New Zealand is crazy. So, of course, something has change. 

But what that change looks like, is what matters. 

And for me, there’s only one option for us here in the greater Christchurch area.  

And maybe it will only happen of the Government forces the issue. Because I don’t see people like Dan Gordon jumping on board of their own accord. 

But the only realistic option here is to do something I've been in favour of for quite a while now. A super-city.

Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger is saying today that the Christchurch City Council has already said it’s keen to take over the work Environment Canterbury does. 

So why not go the whole hog and join ECan, Christchurch City, Selwyn and Waimakariri together? It makes sense to me.  

It’s being reported today that, to keep the government happy, Christchurch is going to have to amalgamate with at least one other council. 

How crazy would that be? Amalgamating with just one. Christchurch amalgamating with Selwyn, but not with Waimakariri. Crazy. 

But, every time a super-city is mentioned, some people are quick to point to Auckland as an argument against it. 

The Auckland super-city brought together seven city and district councils, and the regional council back in 2010. 

But a super city in the greater Christchurch area would be nowhere near the same scale. We’re talking here about just three councils - Christchurch, Selwyn and Waimakariri. Plus ECan, of course.   

Half of the people living in Selwyn still come into Christchurch every day for work and school, and they contribute nothing towards the cost of the running of the city. 

They’re using the city’s roads and so many of the other facilities that they pay nothing for. 

Not to mention the relatively small distance between Selwyn, Christchurch and Waimakariri. 

Which is why, for me, a greater Christchurch super city is a no brainer. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Canterbury Morning's podcast with John McDonald
from News talks'b.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
I heard Mary Soper say yesterday that despite all the
hard talk, the government's so called fast tracking of local
government and amalgamation whon't actually happen anytime soon, certainly not
before the election, which is true because this is a
big change that the government wants to see happen. But

(00:33):
as far as I'm concerned, it can't happen soon enough.
So the fast tracking bit is what happened yesterday with
the government's telling councils that if they don't come up
with an amalgamation plan within three months, the government will
do it for them, so you get on with it.
I see that weimark already metor Dan Gordon. He's already

(00:56):
pushing back. He's not excited. He says his community has
made it clear it doesn't want change, is what Dan
Gordon's saying. Quote, we remain open. We're discussing future options
with our neighbors, but not at the expense of our
district's identity, local decision making or ratepayer owned assets. It
sounds to me like Dan Gordon flipping the bird at

(01:18):
the government. There don't you think. But tell that to
the government, which admits that it didn't campaign on local
government reform at the last election, which is true a
but it believes there is broad support for what it's
planning to do. Might be the case, might not. People
like Dan Gordon won't be chearing the government on though,

(01:39):
or not even you know, he's pooh poring it already.
The thing is, there is no doubt in my mind
that having nearly seventy local councils in the country, the
size of New Zealand is nothing short of crazy seventy
nearly seventy. So of course something has to change. But

(02:00):
what that change looks like is what really matters. And
for me, there's only one option for us here in
the Greater christ Tricheria, and maybe it will only happen
if the government forces the issue, because I don't see
people like Dan Gordon jumping on board of their own accord,
or Dan Gordon saying yeah, yeah, yeah, let's suggest this

(02:21):
to the government. But the only realistic option here is
to do something I've advocated for for quite a while.
Now you know what it is, a super city, the
Christich mayor film major. He's saying today that the City
Council has already said it's keen to take over the
work of Environment Canterbury because e Can is going to

(02:41):
go on this whole thing. So why not? This is
my proposition. Why not go the whole hog and join
e CAN, christ Church City, Selwyn? And why make it
early together? Makes total sense to me. I say, it's
been reported today that to keep the government happy, christ
Church is going to have to amalgamate with at least

(03:03):
one other council. Now how nuts would that be? Amalgamating
christ Church with just one you know, christ Church with Selwyn,
but not with wy Make it early? I mean that
would be even if you were opposed to any form
of amalgamation, you'd have to agree that doing it that
way would be just nuts. And the thing is, every
time every time a supercity is mentioned, some people are

(03:27):
quick to point to Auckland as an argument against it.
I say, ah, yeah, Look, it didn't work in Auckland,
did it. Why would you want us to do it
in Christchurch? There are some differences. The Auckland supercity brought
together seven city and district councils and the regional council
that was back in twenty ten. But a super city
in the Greater christ Church area would be nowhere near

(03:48):
the same scale. We're talking here about just three councils
got christ Church, Selwyn and Wymake it early. Plus he
can of course, so different story completely to what happened
in Auckland. And remember too that half of the people
living in Selwyn still coming to christ Church day for
work in school, that's a fact. And they contribute nothing

(04:10):
towards the cost of running the city. They're using the
city's roads. Why on the same day I might be
talking to you, you might be a sell wenite. You're
using the city roads, You're not paying anything for the
other facilities you use in christ Church. And not to
mention the relatively small distance between Selwyn, christ Church and Waimakeeri,

(04:32):
which is that's why for me, a Greater christ Church
supercity is an absolute no brainer. But what about you?
A couple of questions. Do you support what the government's doing?
Do you support the government's move to have less local councils?
And what do you think should happen in the Greater
christ Church area.

Speaker 1 (04:52):
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