Mr Collinge was elected to the Auckland Regional Authority as a member for the Auckland City Council ward. He served for three years from 1983-1986 until retiring at the endthe term given his appointment as Chairman of the Commerce Commission. On a body which had some 12 Auckland Mayors, in his first term Mr Collinge was elected by the members as Chairman of the key Policy & Finance Committee -which also had oversight of its wide ranging regional roles such as Transport, Auckland International Airport, Planning, Regional Parks, Works, Drainage, Refuse and Water.
(a)Levy Reduction and Costs Savings: In the previous term, controversy andconcern, from both inside and outside the Authority, had centred around its prior management performance. Independent consultants had pointed out its lack of efficiency, lack of project control and engagement in projects of ‘questionable value’ [page 36].There were also allegations of high spending such as for example the use of Huka Lodge for officers in preparing its corporate plan [page 36]. Rectification of this state of affairs was an objective of the election platform on which Mr Collinge stood and,upon his election as Chairman of the Policy & Finance Committee, it was his primary responsibility. In particular, the budget was brought under control and systems introduced. As an example of his success, in the first year the ARA posted its first ever reduction in levy. It then held the levy over the three years to an increase of 12% during a period of 48% inflation without any decline in the services provided –a 36% gain in real terms over the period [eg page 270].
(b)Completing Mt Smart Stadium: On themotion of the Authority, in 1984 Mr Collinge undertook (in relation to the Mt Smart Development Plan of 1980) an investigation into the then incomplete Mt Smart Stadium complex which had been commenced by the previous Authority –the trigger being huge overruns in cost (a ‘fivefold’ increase for Stage One for example) [page 37]. There was also, at the time, considerable controversy and debate as to the Stadium’s continuation and future, and of the uses to be made of the complex. The ‘Collinge Report’, asit was often known at the time, was personally written by him and was accepted by the Policy & Finance Committee and the Authority. It made the findings which defined and altered the first Stage to reduce costs; suggested alternatives for some of the planned functions; helped clarify the goals for subsequent Stages; imposed proper supervision; and provided suggestions for funding the very significant shortfall [eg page 37]. Mr Collinge was then tasked with promoting these conclusions and solutions to the Councils of the region (which collected the ARA levy) and justifying the costs as amended [see page 38]. The Report forms the basis of the Stadium today and contributed to and eventually led to the facilities ultimately used for the Commonwealth Games six years later in 1990.
(c)Regional Co-ordination: At a time when there were some 26 territorial local authorities in the Auckland region, regional and local policies often conflicted and there was often a need to rationalise differing and confusing policies and approaches among the various Councils. In 1984, Mr Collinge sought to alleviate this by suggesting to the Councils that the Authority perform agreed nonstatutory functions for the region provided that it had the support of Councils representing at least three quarters of the people in the regional area. Although accepted by some Councils, the idea was not then sufficiently supported [page 39] but, much later, the subsequent amalgamations and rationalisation of local government in the Auckland region –suchas the Super City and the Auckland Unitary Plan -addressed the issues.
Mr Collinge held this position during one of the most turbulent periods of the Authority. He avoided the political infighting of the time (between factions in the large number of Councils in the Auckland region) and, as with the AEPB and EDANZ, got on with overseeing the services provided by the Authority and their operation in an effective and efficient manner [page 271]. Northcote Mayor Jean Sampson (a member of the Committee and his successor as its Chairman) says of his approach and time there: ‘Life is a lot easier for John because of his intellect. He’s got this marvellous brain which has the ability to get through mounds of facts and come out with accurate assessments at the other end. He is very, very able. He has enormous intellectual ability, and he is a pleasure to work with. I’m a fan’ [at page 83].