Is the Super City one big race relations issue?

By bev

Richard there has always been a race problem in New Zealand and if you think there hasn't then you are a fool.

By Roger

It could be a race issue. Under the new structure the 'brown' areas of Manukau and South Auckland will be 'diluted' by the combination of North Shore with Central and East Auckland. Manukau and South Auckland residents will lose their ability to impact on the big decisions which affect them. Auckland should rejoice in it's ethnic and cultural diversity instead of trying to submerge minorities and ignore their specific needs.

By Richard

No, it's not a racial meltdown, but it is very likely to be a democracy meltdown. Auckland is not a large city, population-wise; in fact in global terms it is rather small. But geographically it covers a fairly large area, and it makes sense for it to have unified governance of things such as roads, drains, water supply, rubbish collection and disposal, planning procedures, building consents, that sort of thing.
Unfortunately, the international and historical experience says that the unification of Auckland's local bodies is likely to result in increased rates, decreased representation, slower, less accessible, and more expensive services, less accountable officials, and an unhappier time generally for Aucklanders. Things may not turn out this way, but history suggests that they probably will.
The race issue is a non-issue. We didn't have a race problem in New Zealand until we had a Race Relations Concilliator, and things got worse when the office was promoted to that of Commissioner. Joris de Bres has been accused of behaving like a white-hating racist in the past, and if there is a problem, it's because people of that ilk are attempting to create one where one does not exist.