Say no to Privatisation of Water

Kia ora - this message is forwarded on behalf of The Water Pressure Group. The first part is a media release announcing their delivery of submissions to Auckland City Council today; the second part is a pro forma letter if you would like to make a submission opposing the privatisation of water - please note the submission deadline is 4pm, Tuesday, 23 May 2000.

If you would like more information on this issue, check out The Water Pressure Group's website at http://www.water-pressure-group.org.nz.

22 May 2000

The Water Pressure Group - Media Statement

Thousands of submissions to be delivered to Auckland City Council

At 1.00pm, Monday 22 May, the Water Pressure Group will be, yet again, handing over thousands of submissions calling for the abolition of Auckland City Council's commercialised water company - Metrowater Ltd. The Water Pressure Group, in their fire engine, will deliver the submissions to the Auckland City Council Administration Building in Grey's Avenue.

About ten thousand submissions will be presented.

The Water Pressure Group are outraged that at a joint community board meeting held on 3 May, Councillor David Hay stated that the Auckland City Council was not going to consider the issue of Metrowater at this year's annual plan. What was the point of calling for public submissions, asking for the public's views, then saying that the council was going to ignore them anyway? Doesn't that make the public submission process a meaningless sham? Metrowater was the biggest issue at last year's annual plan and remains the hottest topic in Auckland City. Metrowater's new tariff, introduced last October and heralded by the Mayor Christine Fletcher as 'fairer', means those who need to use more water, such as large families, are now paying between $1000 to $2000 per year for water and wastewater services, on top of their rates.

As civil disobedience and direct action seem to be the only means of making the Auckland City Council listen, members of the Water Pressure Group will be bringing water meters along, as they hand over the submissions.

The message will be crystal clear. If the majority of Auckland City Council refuse, yet again, to listen to the people of Auckland, and abolish Metrowater, then the citizens of Auckland will have no alternative but to take matters into our own hands and unplug Metrowater ourselves.

Penny Bright & Jim Gladwin, Media Spokespersons

We invite you to support the stand being here in Auckland, and put in a submission of your own. You can use the pro forma below to let the council here know what you think of commercialised water services, or write your own quick message.

Submissions are acceptable from areas outside of Auckland City but must in by 4pm Tuesday 23 May.

Send your submission to: annualplan@akcity.govt.nz

Please send a copy to: Water Pressure Group greenleaf@pl.net

Attention - Auckland City Council

I strongly oppose commercialisation and privatisation of public assets.

I totally disagree that water is a saleable commodity and that the supply of water is a commercial activity. Water is a vital necessity of life, and water and wastewater are essential public services which should be affordable to all citizens. No household should be restricted or disconnected.

I demand: