Central Leader
Wednesday April 4 2001 Turning up water pressure
By Vicki Poland
Protest groups shut out of the Auckland region water review are calling for ministerial intervention.The Water Pressure Group of Auckland and Citizen Against Privatisation from West Auckland hope for a
reply from Local Government Minister Sandra Lee this week.A spokesperson for the minister says there will be no comment on the groups’ concerns until Ms Lee has responded to the complaints directly.
Six Auckland Councils and bulk provider Watercare Services Ltd. Say a more business-like approach is needed to more manage a $5 billion upgrade of the regions ageing systems over 10 years.Both protest groups say anyone wanting water and wastewater services funded from rates could not support any of the three options put forward for public consultation last month. Residents across the region already have metered water charges, but each of the short-listed options could also include user charges for wastewater as seen in Auckland City and in Papakura District.
In and open letter to the minister, Water Pressure Group spokeswoman Penny Bright said the lack of choice was “an utter travesty of democracy”. “The only options put forward for the public of Auckland to consider are three commercialised options, which aim to spread user charges for water services across the region,” Ms bright wrote.Her Group has gathered thousands of signatures on water issues in each of the past three years of Auckland City annual plans.
Yet it was not included in a series of “key stakeholder” meetings last year that short-listed the three consultations.
Instead the Water Pressure Group picketed outside the doors of the meetings. When the group, in coalition with others in the region, wanted a non-commercial “forth option” included Waitakere City Council were first to agreed and sought an extension of the consultation period.
In a report to his councillors, Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey sought a postponement of the controversial review.
“At no stage during the eight months of seeking opinions on how to run Auckland’s water industry should be run was the public asked to provide any input,” Mr Harvey said.
Although some politicians attended stakeholder meetings, council offices controlled all of the strategy.”
Mr Harvey said the public relations campaign associated with the stakeholder meeting was a disaster” and gave the impression of being “highly secretive”.Inquires were greeted with the response that the public would get an opportunity to comment during the consultation phase, after the options had been decided.
“For those who wished to create mischief the closed shop environment provided all the ammunition they needed”.
Instead of including a forth option, all councils endorsed a revised strategy to have a second round of consultation to pick up on any issues and opinions raised in the first.Auckland City Deputy Mayor Bruce Hucker say including a late non-commercial option would have affected “the integrity of the process” and open the door to other interest groups including those on the extreme right wing to do the same.
Dr Hucker says the review’s political steering group was set up quite late in the process.