Estimates Debate — Vote Local Government

The current leader of the National Party went along to the Local Government New Zealand conference on Tuesday this week. He suggested that there was a crisis of confidence in local government. He is right, in one respect. Immediately after Dr Brash’s appalling performance, the description from one of the mayors present—and I can tell the member that mayor was previously a member of the National Party—was: “He treated us like a bunch of dicks. He told us we don’t know what we’re doing.” Frankly, if that is an example of the way the National Party believes it should engage with local government, then I think local government got the clear message as to where the future rests for it. I say to members that I am looking at sending my diary to Dr Brash, in order that he can attend every conference I am going to speak at and speak immediately before me, because anything will look good after Dr Brash’s performance.

In every respect, Dr Brash gave a disastrous performance. I can only conclude that, given the factual inaccuracy of his speech, its appallingly poor delivery, and its content absolutely missing the target audience, he must have been heavily assisted in preparing the content of that speech. The only question is whether it was Bill, Gerry, or John who helped him to write it.

💬 Hon Clayton Cosgrove: My money’s on Gerry.

I think the member may be right; Mr Brownlee has a particular turn of phrase. However, the speech lacked any of the energy, in terms of content, that I think we have all come to expect from the deputy leader wannabe. The myths that were peddled at that conference by Dr Brash fell on stony ground, and it was a stony reception. I have never seen a National Party leader so dealt with by an audience. There was polite applause at the end of the speech. The only thing missing at the end of the speech was a plank for Dr Brash to exit the stage. I tell members a plank should have been there. He did not need the stairs; he should have had a plank to exit the stage.

But, in order to put the record a little straight here, I tell members that one of the suggestions Dr Brash made was that central government has abandoned local government—left it with all the responsibility. The truth of the matter, of course, is that the level of direct support from central government to local government has gone up from about 8 percent to over 13 percent of total local government expenditure.

💬 Dr Wayne Mapp: It’s roads.

I am very pleased that Dr Mapp brings up the question of roads, because I say to him that in addition to that $650 million or so, which constitutes over 13 percent of local government expenditure, there is the $1.3 billion of additional funding for roads over the next 4 years. The 13.3 percent does not include the money for roads or the $150 million over the next 5 years that has been put into water schemes and a myriad other things. If we add those in, then, frankly, I say to Dr Mapp that central government support would be a great deal more than 13.3 percent.

By any measure, it may be seen that the relationship between central government and local government is on a footing it has never been on before: one of mutual respect, cooperation, and collaboration. The difference now is—[Interruption] Here we go! We have got a rise in rates of what percentage?

💬 Dr Wayne Mapp: 10 percent.

Let us look at that. One of the member’s own colleagues is a councillor with Environment Canterbury. I understand that councillor supported a 21 percent rates increase. I do not think that was bad. [Interruption] The member interjects about percentages. When one plays silly games with percentages, one loses track of the fact—

💬 Dr Wayne Mapp: The Auckland Regional Council is getting it down to 5 percent.

Does the member have any idea that that 21 percent represents $1.10 per week to an average ratepayer in that area?

💬 Dr Wayne Mapp: The Auckland Regional Council has set its rates increase at 5 percent.

Percentages mean nothing, unless one applies them to dollar terms. That increase represents $1.10 per week on average per ratepayer.

The fact is that there is a fundamental difference between Labour and National. I was very pleased to sit and listen to the appalling contribution made by the Leader of the Opposition at the Local Government New Zealand conference. During Dr Brash’s contribution the difference between Labour and National became very, very clear. This Government is committed to New Zealand’s transformation into an inclusive and a growing, developing nation, whereas if National were in Government it would slash and burn at every turn. What did Dr Brash have to offer? He attacked the sorts of subsidy schemes that the Labour Government supports.

Contrary to what the National Party seems to believe, New Zealanders will not tolerate Third World conditions. They expect First World water supplies. They expect First World general hygiene and food hygiene. They expect the quality of the services and facilities provided to them to be that of the First World. Of course, the sort of nonsense that we heard from Dr Brash is mirrored by the nonsensical member’s bill we have seen from Mr Hide. It may be populist policy to talk about putting an inflation cap on rates, but that denies the facts that the population is growing and New Zealanders aspire to have a higher quality of life, and of services and facilities. Those improvements require financial investment, and they require cooperation and collaboration between central government and local government.

One of the highest achievements for the local government sector over the last 6 years has been the central government - local government forum. It provides an environment in which central government and local government can work together. That stands in stark contrast to the absolute shambles that would be visited on the local government sector by Dr Brash in the unlikely event that he were ever to become the Prime Minister.

💬 Hon Clayton Cosgrove: The sector knows that, too.

Does it ever! It saw Dr Brash’s performance on Tuesday at the Local Government New Zealand conference.

There was one thing that Dr Brash got right in his speech to Local Government New Zealand when addressing the mayors and councillors of this country who, by and large, do an outstanding job for the communities they serve. He was right when he said there was a crisis in confidence. I tell him that the crisis in confidence is in his National caucus, and in the incompetence of National’s leader. The crisis in confidence among the good leaders of local government is in the National Party, which once had the pretence of supporting local government but now has abandoned even that.