If the Mahurangi wishes to be heard by the
Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, its residents need to categorise themselves
Aucklanders.
Either that or
Auckland regioners—ghastly language, which the
Mahurangi Magazine is reluctant to encourage.
The
terms of reference of the commission, including the title, contain 19 substantive instances of the word
Auckland.
In 15 of those instances, it is Auckland
region, as opposed to
Auckland.
And as part of the title
Auckland Regional Council, it is is mentioned just once:
Auckland region means the geographical area within the jurisdiction of the Auckland Regional Council
In contrast, the commission’s
first media release contains 12 instances of
Auckland or
Aucklanders but only one of
Auckland region. In the media release Hon Peter Salmon QC is quoted as saying: ‘We want to put Auckland’s future in the hands of Aucklanders’—small wonder that one Auckland
mayor appears nervous.
So, does Mahurangi put up with it and put up (as opposed to
shut up) as Aucklanders? Or does it tediously protest at every turn that it is part of the Auckland
region, not of
Auckland !
The future of the Mahurangi is inextricably bound with that of the Auckland region, yet anti-Auckland sentiment is often heard here. It the editor’s avowed mission to encourage collaboration with Aotearoa’s metropolis, rather than give succour to isolationism—once opened, those
tunnels can never be plugged*!
Besides, there are more lovers of the Mahurangi living in Auckland city (small
c) than in the Mahurangi catchment.
Makaurau Speaking of lovers of the Mahurangi, there
is an indigenous name, potentially, for the region: Makaurau—one hundred lovers, from Tämaki-makau-rau. Leave Tämaki as Tämaki, along with its meaning of battle, and retain the positive and melodic
Makaurau.
Of course, the driver for the unprecedentedly focussed navel gazing by the Auckland region is the clear need for its multiplicity of bodies and agencies to more effectively plan for the future. And while much of its rhetoric refers to conventional preoccupations—‘Auckland has to compete’—the commission’s terms of reference emphasise that the region faces ‘enormous change brought about by global … environmental … forces’.
Effective climate action demands effective governance of the region, if you’ll indulge the editor, of
Makaurau.
*Anecdotal In 1974, during the editor’s only other bid to be elected to local body office, the partner of his
Values Party running mate was advocating blowing up the Örewa Bridge, to hold back the city hordes. It was judged that he was only half joking—he indulged in some outrageous activities both before and after that period. And that was the
old bridge, which would’ve little-resisted a little well-placed plastic.
Regional Standard: Auckland Regional Council’s new website sets a new, high standard—Rodney District Council’s new, friendlier, site is keenly anticipated! Auckland Regional Council