northland chamber

Submission to: Royal Commission on Auckland Governance

Submission regarding:

The opportunity for a broader and independent assessment of what is needed to achieve Auckland’s potential to be a truly internationally competitive city to live, work and do business.

Submission by:

The Northland Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

The Northland Chamber of Commerce

The Northland Chamber of Commerce currently has 420 financial members that employ the equivalent of 5000 full time employees.

Since 1903, the Northland Chamber of Commerce has served the needs of the Northland business community through its public policy and advocacy initiatives and its business development programs and services.

The Chamber also works to ensure that Northland has a business-friendly environment where all businesses can grow and prosper. With this, also comes paying close attention to the quality of life the region offers our members’ employees and families. The Chamber works to make a difference in Northland’s future and to help Northland grow.

The Northland Chamber of Commerce generally favour well researched development projects that add value to the economy, community and infrastructure of the region especially those projects that undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure that the community and environment are protected.


General Nature of Submission

The Northland Chamber of commerce recognises that our region does not operate in a vacuum. We are inherently interested in the development and structure of our neighboring regions.

The Northland Chamber of Commerce supports changes of the current structures as outlined below because for New Zealand to grow we need Auckland to Grow faster. This is even more so important for the Northland Region due to our proximity to Auckland.

Therefore our submission will reflect the following assumptions

Auckland is our neighbor therefore any effect of changes in governance affecting Infrastructure and development will generally have an impact on the Northland Region whether that be taking advantage of Auckland’s Growth / prosperity or to be affected by Auckland’s Demise.
Auckland is considered to be the engine of the economy If NZ is to grow at an acceptable level over the next 10 years then Auckland (and its infrastructure) needs to grow exponentially faster to ensure that NZ grows.

Submission

Keeping in mind the above assumptions, The Northland Chamber of Commerce would prefer a local Government structure in Auckland that ;

Can deliver Infrastructure that does not act to a deterrent to growth

Invests in infrastructure using anticipated growth models

Makes resource decisions quickly

Has a regional Infrastructure outlook

The practical changes that needs to occur is “fast, seamless, forward looking and commercially sound decisions in infrastructure investment within a framework of streamlined political processes.”

The Chamber believes that the local Government situation in Auckland is confusing as far as infrastructure is concerned. The most obvious change would be the formation of a new or an expansion of the existing ARC to become a unitary authority bringing in the local and district council functions. However research suggests that this would not be as efficient as first may seem.

Our submission is fundamentally to consolidate some of the local authorities activities to ensure that a regional vision be applied to all infrastructure decisions and to gain efficiencies.

The Northland Chamber of Commerce would therefore suggest Regional Government are responsible for the formation and running of an infrastructure authority to undertake all decisions, planning and implementation across the region regarding

The investment on infrastructure using anticipated growth models

All planning and delivery for Transport, Water, Waste Water, Broadband, Energy, Major Public Facilities across the region

To relieve District and City councils of the burden around resource management planning for these

A consolidation of any bodies or organisations (into the infrastructure authority) set up to administer infrastructure (eg. The Water Industry currently has 11 bodies including 7 councils)

Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission

Yours faithfully

Jeff Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Northland Chamber of Commerce