George Hawkins

Wellington, June 2 NZPA - The Government has accepted a Labour Party amendment to the bill that sets up Auckland's new super city council.

It will force Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) to hold at least two public meetings a year.

Labour's local government spokesman George Hawkins put up the amendment tonight while Parliament was debating the committee stage of the Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill.

The amendment also gives ratepayers the right to address CCOs.

"CCOs will be incredibly powerful organisations under the new council structure and without this amendment Aucklanders would have had no ability to influence their decision-making," Mr Hawkins said.