Unitary Authority: One for all?

In December the Far North District Council lodged an application seeking to become a unitary authority. The Local Government Commission noted that all three Northland districts would be affected by such change.

Far North Mayor Wayne Brown recently addressed a small gathering of only 30 residents in Dargaville in a bid to seek feedback on the proposal to integrate Dargaville with the Far North as a unitary authority.

Brown considered the demographics of Dargaville and Kaikohe with forestry, farming and coastal interests would be better suited to the Far North community moreso than Mangawhai which has considerably more in common with Whangarei and the eastern coastal regions.

In delivering an in-depth presentation on his district's proposal and direction Brown urged attendees to take an interest as change is going to happen whether Kaipara residents want it or not. This was endorsed by Farmers of New Zealand director Bill Guest who opened the meeting.

Thirty-nine responded to the Commission's call for alternatives regarding the reorganisation but only four responses specifically related to Kaipara.

Northland Regional Council put forward a proposal seeking one unitary authority for the whole of Northland, while Whangarei District Council is seeking two unitary authorities – Far North as one and Kaipara and Whangarei merged as the other.

Te Taitokerau Iwi representative Rangitane Marsden also explained the social and economic direction the Far North seeks to take adding the creation of maori wards with representatives sitting on the unitary authority.

The Far North consists of community boards and Brown said if Dargaville was to join, it would become a fourth ward of the Far North Unitary Council, with its own elected councillors giving it a voice at the council table and on the local community board.

It is now up to the Dargaville community to decide what's right for them but Mayor Brown is adamant that what works for the Far North will work equally as well for a larger rural community as opposed to City governance.

Following the Local Government Commission assessment of the 39 proposals a draft proposal will be circulated public consultation. This process is expected to take some months but regardless, no changes will be made prior to local body elections which are due in October.