Rebuff for protesters

By Vicki Poland

Auckland Mayor Chris Fletcher says anti-Metrowater protesters should stop playing politics.

Mrs Fletcher says they can’t expect to click their fingers and get their own way and she is not
about to hand in her chains despite calls for her resignation.

“If water activists are serious about resolving the issue, I’d like to see a few less
politics played out”

She says consultation is a two-way thing: “You can’t click you fingers and get your own way.”

The Water Pressure Group says Mrs Fletcher is ignoring public anger and breaking promises of “genuine consultation”
by not dumping Metrowater and returning wastewater to rates.

But Mrs Fletcher says her only election promise on wastewater was that the council would consider social equity issues.
“I don’t want a situation where we have a family having their water cut off because of social inequities.”

The Council is responding to concerns aired in the annual plan about user-pays, she says, but goodwill is needed
to allow solutions to be worked out.
 

“It’s got to be a little more sophisticated than just ‘dump Metrowater.”
“It’s better to get it right than have an urgent reaction. I can promise this, if we dump Metrowater it will push rates up.”

On July 29 the council debates possible changes to the way Metrowater is run, including lower system charges,
new water tariffs, and letting councillors decide whether water should be disconnected for non-payment.

The company itself looks set to stay.

Mrs Fletcher says the LATE model, managed by a board of directors, is the most efficient and effective way to
keep costs down, but is not equipped to deal with social issues.

But the Water Pressure Group spokeswoman Penny Bright says Metrowater should never have been established.

“We will not rest until it is abolished and water services are bought back under council control,” says Ms Bright