Water Pressure Group To Consider Challenging Election Result

How many voters know that 'It is lawful, albeit politically risky, for a candidate to misrepresent their policy position'? according to The District Commander of Auckland Police Howard Broad.

How many votes would Auckland Citizens & Ratepayers Now have got, had they stated as clearly and unequivocally in their election material as they did in their candidates Loyalty Statement their true position on water:

"Pipes and reticulation assets must be publicly owned. The existing LATE, Metrowater should be retained. Water and wastewater charges must be kept as separate charges and not added to rates. In the long term (5+ years) we look forward to a public-private operating partnership structure that works so well in other countries/jurisdictions (such as Victoria, Australia, and many communities in the USA) There must be co-operation at the regional level to ensure adequate supply, quality and ongoing levels of service."

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are the most common form of water privatisation internationally, and already exist in Auckland with the Papakura District franchise with the largest private water company in Australasia - United Water.

How can the public cast an informed vote when the voting public are not informed of the exact basis on which our 'elected representatives' are going to 'represent us'? When politicians such as the Vice-President of Auckland Now Angus Ogilvie state .."Auckland Now does not have a privatisation agenda nor does C & R".

The Water Pressure Group will consider at our next meeting challenging the election under Section 93 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 - Petition for Inquiry.

We believe that the public are sick and tired of being treated with contempt. If it's not an offence to lie to the public - then it should be.

"The Water Pressure Group urges people to act positively and constructively to help safeguard our water against commercialisation and future privatisation - by giving these politicians a message they can't ignore. Join the water bill boycott!" said WPG Media Spokesperson Penny Bright.

PH: 846 9825

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>