Queenstown has sometimes been referred to as "more Auckland than Auckland" and now the adventure capital's relationship with neighbouring resort town Wanaka could form a blueprint for New Zealand's first super city.
The Queenstown and Wanaka local governance structures are being examined by the architects of the proposed Auckland super city.
The relationship between the Queenstown Lakes District Council and the Wanaka Community Board could be mirrored by a similar delegation of powers between an Auckland super city council and a secondary tier of local authorities.
The Wanaka board has the maximum decision-making powers delegated to it by the QLDC, as prescribed under the Local Government Act 2002.
While the QLDC is the governing authority for the district and controls the purse strings, Wanaka's core capital works programmes for roading, parks, infrastructure, and services are decided by the community board.
The proposed greater Auckland regional authority would assume an overarching role, like the QLDC's, for a secondary tier of ward-based authorities which would assume delegated powers, similar in nature to those of the Wanaka Community Board.
Minister of Local Government Rodney Hide said the delegation of local authority powers and relationship between Queenstown and Wanaka was a "good model".
"The key thing is the delegation of responsibility and authority.
"As I understand it, it enables Wanaka to get on with the job locally, while there are also benefits for the Queenstown council."
Mr Hide was keen for a future situation in Auckland.
Local ward-based community boards there would have as "much power and responsibility as possible, without compromising the greater regional authority".
The Queenstown council and Wanaka board approach was being studied further by officials, before an October deadline for the proposed Auckland super-city structure, Mr Hide said.
Wanaka Community Board chairman Lyal Cocks has been working with New Zealand Community Board executive committee chairman Mike Cohen, of Devonport, Auckland to help brief Mr Hide.
Mr Cocks said he had also met officials from the Department of Internal Affairs to discuss the local governance structures between the Wanaka Community Board and the QLDC.
Mr Cohen, who represents 30 community boards in the Auckland area and three from the Far North, said the high level of independence which Wanaka has from the QLDC worked really well.
"It has certain attractions for a larger framework."
The formal and informal "arrangements" between Queenstown and Wanaka could be leveraged and expanded to apply to an Auckland super city and a secondary tier of local wards - most with populations of between 50,000 and 70,000, he said.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes said the council and community board had always focused on building a very good relationship.
If that relationship was seen as a good example of local governance and found to be suitable for replication by a greater Auckland authority, "it is a credit to both the council and the community board," he said.
