LETTERS & EMAILS
THE HAURAKI GULF MARINE PARK ACT
In the April edition of the Ponsonby News, Cr Pippa Coom comments on changes being proposed to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act, including the creation of a new cogovernance entity. In reality this would amount to a new ‘Authority’ with updated powers and funding, comprised of 50% mana whenua membership with a decreed leadership position, in effect guaranteeing control. What she didn’t mention in the article, however, was her own role in all of this as one of the current co-chairs of the Hauraki Gulf Forum in initiating without mandate the inclusion of 21 of Auckland’s 28 regional parks into the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park at the same time. This ‘transferral’ has been advanced under the vague guise of somehow restoring the health of the Gulf but there is absolutely no compelling rationale or explanation as to how this would happen since the regional parks’ land use is already well managed, in fact to international best practice with no negative impact on the Gulf. As a result this proposal has been vehemently opposed by groups associated with the development of Auckland’s regional park network over the last 40 years and literally thousands of individuals. In my view, both moves have more to do with power and control than they do with restoring the health of the Gulf or improving the management of Auckland’s regional park network. While it’s one thing to put forward proposals to address the parlous state of the Hauraki Gulf, which certainly needs addressing, it is quite something else to proceed in this furtive manner in pursuit of what are essentially unmandated and far-reaching political changes that have characterised these two parallel processes. Ambitions to exercise control over the Hauraki Gulf, well outside anything that could be achieved by the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process, are not exactly new. The view might well be that the time is opportune for these radical proposals that have the potential to significantly impact both the Gulf and our Regional Parks. The Hauraki Gulf and the Regional Park network are synonymous with what defines Auckland and its people, the jewels in the crown of our region. Both are too important to be compromised by proposals that have lacked transparency and adequate detail and which have been advanced to the point of approaches to government ministers with little or no public knowledge or debate. No amount of selective and self-serving commentary changes any of that. John Watson,
Auckland councillor and member of the Hauraki Gulf Forum THIS IS NOT A FAIRY TALE
You might think monsters are mythical beasts, but I'll tell you that they exist. Monsters are fierce creatures who live purely to prey on the weak, searching for a way to devour them, and they do it with tactics of fear and brute force. Even scarier is that monsters proliferate as they feast; they get bigger, bolder, and even more dangerous. They are often motivated by monetary greed, have self-serving agendas and live by their own selfish ideology. This Super City has such a behemoth, and it’s called ‘Auckland Transport’. Compounding the problem is that this monster is not a singular entity as we would traditionally think. This creature has multiple
limbs and numerous heads. Try to imagine bulk Medusas or even the mythological Lernaean Hydra. Us townsfolk are aware that this ugly, self-serving monster exists. We watch on powerless as it carves a path of destruction, feeding on the city’s flora, fauna and village precincts. It enjoys making your life as difficult as possible, it hovers over you, purposely creating congestion, restricting your freedom, and it spends your rates with reckless abandonment and no accountability. This monster is pure evil. Recently, a few people have been standing at the cave entrance, shouting wild threats while brandishing pitchforks and flaming torches. However, this monster is not only giant and all-consuming, it’s also highly intelligent and knows that the rhetoric toward it from a leaderless mob is the equivalent of flicking toothpicks at a tank. Thankfully there is a way to slay the monster, and whilst there is a throng who are happy to scream and willingly poke at it with a sharp stick, they are being led astray. It simply can’t be scared away or kicked out. The right strategy is needed and it’s important to understand this. This gambit requires guile, patience, and most of all, an ‘Order of Knights’ who understand how it thinks, knows its weak spots and the required tactics for battle, and are willing to work together for the ‘greater good’. Oddly enough, Auckland Council already has a weapon available. So why hasn’t it been used? Why has it remained sheathed while this monster continues to feast at leisure? Sadly, because the system allows it to feed, the current holders of the ‘sacred sword’ encourage it and whilst they happen to hold the weapon, they refuse to swing it because secretly - or not so - they are working with the beast, not against it. This sacred sword is called the ‘Appointments and Performance Review Committee', and it is a mighty weapon if used as intended. The mayor is the chairperson and appoints the members. This committee is in charge of the council controlled organisations (CCOs). It reviews the chief executive's performance, creates the boards, and sets the recommendations on the CCO accountability policy. When led correctly, this committee can wield this mighty sword. Together, using a patient and calculated approach, the beast of Auckland can be tamed. The first swing of the sword is in the form of a ‘Letter of Intent’ - the stipulations and requirements. It clearly states what the monster can and cannot do. The second swing lobs off the heads, as it removes the bulk of the board and chooses convivial replacements. The third swing is the review of the CEO and appointment of a replacement attuned to the new philosophy. Now the monster is under control. This is how we tame Auckland Transport and bring council ‘controlled’ organisations back into line. This engagement will take calm leadership and the need for a unified team, not an unruly mob led by a pitchfork-wielding maniac. This quest must be undertaken, but there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. Craig Lord, Mayoral Candidate
CONTINUED ON P30
Opinions expressed in Ponsonby News are not always the opinion of Alchemy Media Limited & Ponsonby News.
8 PONSONBY NEWS+ May 2022
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
