Tue, 18 Aug 2009 12:00a.m.
Auckland, as we all know, is a shambles. But when it becomes a super city it will be a mean, lean, council machine, worth roughly $28 billion.
To put it in context, when the Auckland councils merge they will have assets worth considerably more than our two largest companies, Fonterra and Telecom, combined.
Which is why, whether you live in Wellington, Christchurch, Ashburton, Inglewood, the Kapiti Coast or Gore, Auckland matters to you.
Tomorrow, Labour MP Phil Twyford is putting a private member's bill before Parliament to protect Auckland's assets like, for example, Ports of Auckland. The idea is to require a referendum before any such assets are privatised when Auckland becomes a single, super city.
He argues the architects of the super city, politicians like ACT's Rodney Hide, want to sell these assets off.
Mr Hide is a rabid supporter of privatisation. In fact, as recently as last week he said: "Of course I'm in favour of privatisation. I love privatisation."
His party's policy on local Government includes such phrases as: "Local government will be required to shed its commercial activity" and "roads and piped water will be supplied on a fully commercial basis".
So, will Auckland assets come up for sale? And is it a good thing or a bad thing if they do?
Campbell Live speaks to Rodney Hide about his plans for Auckland.