Kerre Woodham: Wellingtonians - how does a Super City sound to you?

On the face of it, you'd have to say, it makes sense.

Looking at it on paper; amalgamation, joining forces, strength in numbers. It gives you more oomph, more heft, more bargaining power, the ability to deliver bigger and better

We've seen the failings of many of our DHBs, surely on the face of it; a centralised health system makes sense. Can a country of 5 million people sustain 16 polytechs and numerous industry training organisations?

On the face of it, you'd have to say no. So a centralised polytech makes sense.

Surely, a whole lot of little councils don't have the same ability to deliver services to their ratepayers in the way a Supercity can. Hence eight scrappy, litigious local bodies were amalgamated into one Auckland Supercity back in 2010.

And how's that worked out for the residents of the Greater Auckland region? Well, according to some studies, Auckland Council has estimated that, in cash terms, it's running $316 million a year cheaper than if the eight councils had remained.

And they've reached savings of $1.9 billion, which, if true, is a very good thing.

It was interesting hearing Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive Simon Arcus this morning talking about the extra power a Super Wellington would be able to wield, should all the Wellington regional Councils merge.

This has been bubbling away for some time since 2015.

According to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce pre-election report ahead of this year’s local body elections, Wellington businesses feel overshadowed by central Government.

They feel that the city is now synonymous with bureaucracy and politics, rather than business and innovation, for getting the very essence of the heart of the city. I think we'd be all agreed on that, wouldn't we?

I would be really interested to hear from Wellingtonians as to whether this is the sort of initiative you would support. Do you believe that creating a Wellington super City by combining Wellington pudding or in the Hutt councils?

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