Governance—Key Issues of Auckland Governance Reform

There is not a strategy that is fully integrated or aligned to provide a clearly oriented goal in the region’s vision, although the fact is that plenty of strategies are generated.

Lack of crucial decision maker and fragmented governance structure give rise to adversely impact on economic and community development. The possibility of developing and prospering in Auckland region was resulted in by weak accountability, fragmented and complex decision-making processes, and competing leadership. Fragmented powers and accountabilities for funding and services directly resulted in fails of delivering on strategy. The conflict between the city councils and the regional council, as most of the wealth of the region is controlled by the city councils, and obviously the regional council could not get sufficient funding. Decisions often seems to be located at wrong government (national or local sphere) while the original intentions are for the region. ‘There is no sufficient revenue at the regional level’.  The complex and fragmented governance structure causes uncertainty, unclearly, and misunderstanding, in another word, the Auckland lacks of single voice and straight goal. Lack of funders is crucial impacts on decision making, extremely significant for transport. The government relies too much on statutory and voluntary joint decision-making fora. ‘There are inefficiencies and inconsistent standards and financial impacts due to duplication and transaction costs’.