Labour's Phil Goff has come out in support of a referendum on the government's undemocratic SuperCity plans:
The National-Act Government should seek a mandate from Aucklanders before fundamentally restructuring local government in Auckland, says Labour leader Phil Goff.It's a good, principled move. National's plans would rob Aucklanders of their voice and gerrymander local government in favour of the Remuera business elite and John Banks. Aucklanders deserve to be given a say on this. As I've argued repeatedly, their local government belongs to them - not to politicians in Wellington."Section 49 of the Local Government Act 2002 provides for a poll of electors to be held before reorganisation of local government occurs," he says.
"If the National-Act Government has the courage of its convictions, it will seek a mandate for what they are proposing rather than simply ramming changes through by special legislation.
