Local government has a complex and challenging role to deliver services, to manage assets, and to create coherent and connected communities. Their job is already extremely difficult, and around New Zealand they are failing in a number of ways that are of great concern. We've seen falling participation in local government elections and a loss of trust and confidence in local government from this Minister of Local Government and from their communities. I've seen reports that trust in local government is as low as 60 percent in some communities, or as high as 60 percent in Auckland. Turnouts of 30-odd percent at local government elections would give people little confidence that a proposal like this, given five days' consultation, will increase confidence in local government. 