Last week’s announcement by the Government regarding the essentially forced amalgamation of councils requires urgent and decisive action from our council. This is an historic, existential issue.
There is a very strong community of interest that makes an amalgamation with Waitaki District Council a compelling option in our view.
Government insists on at least two councils joining, and this Dunedin/Waitaki suggestion also meets a population-based option. Being the biggest population southern urban area gives us real advantages.
Dunedin and Waitaki are both coastal, both with similar farming hinterland, both with strong heritage assets and both with significant heritage and coastal tourism offerings to be co-promoted.
We have the Taieri, Leith, Shag and Waitaki rivers as regional waterways.
The window set by central government to make suggestions is only three months, which means we need to move very quickly to have any influence.
There is insufficient and limited information available from government on this threatened amalgamation mandate, and experience suggests this will not change much with further details that may be revealed within three months.
We must learn to be pro-active from the last amalgamation in 1989 where Dunedin lost its port and 400 harbour-side properties to the ORC, and be sure we get them back for our expanded new unitary "Coastal Otago Council".
Returning to the need for decisive action, we need to look at how the Timaru District Council has taken decisive action. It’s already decided its strong preference is to amalgamate with Mackenzie District, and Waimate District will also probably end up joining, albeit reluctantly. Waimate have immediately announced public meetings on the matter — we should do the same. Ashburton is also likely to join with that council group.
The map shows the potential other amalgamated councils as well as the new "Coastal Otago Council".
This is a big decision but not a particularly difficult one as our hand and other councils’ hands are forced by central government. This is not the end of localism as some councillors and candidates want to portray. It is a welcome push for more efficient and cost-effective local government. The policy appears to have a significant degree of cross-party support, but more importantly needs the support of our respective communities.
With urgency, Dunedin needs a plan. A plan that we craft, not one that is crafted for us. A plan to form a unitary council for Dunedin and Waitaki that picks up the essential functions of the Otago Regional Council for our area, a plan that secures Port Otago and our harbour-side land for the people of Dunedin, and a plan that reflects a long-term vision for the future of Dunedin and the Waitaki which the community helps to form.
There is no time to pause. This is a time for decisive leadership and bold ambition.
