North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Murray McCully signs off
During his 30 years as MP for East Coast Bays, Murray McCully said he tried to work constructively with local government representatives.
‘‘We are both elected by the same voters. And the roles and responsibilities are complementary rather than competitive,’’ McCully said.
‘‘When I was first elected, we still had the East Coast Bays Council with its offices a block from my own.
‘‘The move to a North Shore City, then the Auckland Super City structure has seen a shift from personal phone calls to the mayor or chief executive, to contacts with designated departmental representatives. But it has been my experience that both local and central government understand that each gain from demonstrating respect for the role of the other.
McCully’s electorate office in Browns Bay, dealt with immigration, schools and healthcare questions.
‘‘The MP’s role is to ensure that individuals are treated properly by Government agencies, and during my time we have managed to assist a large number of constituents.’’
Later in his career, McCully became a senior minister, which meant more time offshore.
‘‘But most people have understood that this is a trade-off - you have a reduced amount of time in the electorate, but the ability to get things done more quickly when required.’’