Auckland’s students gather to discuss super city

Auckland’s university students have been called to a hui today to discuss how the proposed super city will affect them.

Following that, a hikoi (march) is planned for May 25.

The AUT Maori Student Association has called for a hui at Nga Wai O Horotiu Marae (the AUT city campus marae) at 12.10pm to consider the effects of changes to transport systems, community funding, parking, and higher user-pays charges like apartment water bills and rates.

The association president, Mane Tahere, says the rise in such user-pays costs will directly impact students living in hostels and apartments because rents will go up accordingly.

The issue is with what a super city council will do. “It is the whole issue of the unknown,” he says.

Invitations to the meeting have gone out to all student associations and student body groups from AUT University, the University of Auckland, UNITEC, Te Wananga O Aotearoa, Massey University and the Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT).

Auckland University Students’ Association president Darcy Peacock says his main concern about the super city proposal is the lack of consultation with the public.

“There’s a large potential for the people on the borders of our city to lose representation and that could impact them badly,” he says.

He says although students represent a large proportion of Auckland city, when groups of people are lumped together, some issues tend to be glossed over.

Mr Tahere says the hikoi on May 25 will be directed at the Government and the Royal Commission into Auckland’s Governance over the loss of three proposed Maori seats and the threatened loss of grassroots or local community voices.

The hikoi is one way of putting across the concerns of not only Maori but of all communities over the whole of Auckland which includes the student community, he says.

“The main message for our meeting that’s happening [today] is to unite as students to bring these issues forward to express them on the 25^th at the hikoi,” he says.

Hikoi organisers and guest speakers will attend the meeting.