Southern leaders appear to have ruled out the creation of a new "super council" to govern Otago, while at the same time acknowledging the need for closer collaboration south of the Waitaki River.
Regional mayors in Dunedin, Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago all agreed when contacted by the Otago Daily Times this week the case for efficiencies in the South was difficult to make.
However, while praising existing regional co-operation across Otago, Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin acknowledged the need for greater co-operation between Otago and Southland, and suggested amalgamation of his council and the Clutha District Council could be an issue for the future.
The relatively small population in Otago and Southland counted against the two provinces when it came to influencing the opinions of vote-conscious politicians in Wellington, highlighting the need to work together, Mr Chin believed.
"But I don't believe it necessarily means a change in our district to enable us to do that," Mr Chin said.
Queenstown Lakes Mayor Clive Geddes also acknowledged a case could be made for future amalgamation of his council and the neighbouring Central Otago District Council.
However, he and Mr Chin both argued "the tyranny of distance" and divergent challenges across Otago would make the formation any super council, covering all of Otago, unworkable in the South.
The leaders' comments come after the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance last week recommended the creation of a one-city "super" council for Auckland, replacing its existing regional council and seven territorial authorities.
The new entity would be headed by a mayor with new powers, with 23 councillors and four new urban and two rural local councils focused on community representation.
While most were against replicating the proposal in the South, Invercargill Mayor Tim Shadbolt was one to support amalgamation - even suggest-ing creating a new Southern Council encompassing Otago and Southland.
"With the amount of influence and power Auckland is going to have, the whole of the lower South Island is going to have to co-operate a whole lot more," he said.
Mr Shadbolt was unsure if he would support a resolution calling for a "one-Southland" council - merging Invercargill, Southland District, Gore and Environment Southland - to be put to the Invercargill District Council meeting next week.
He said it might be preferable to pursue a wider amalgamation encompassing Otago.
"We may as well have a change which will carry us through the next 100 years," he said.
