Public Meeting Against The Proposed Wellington 'Supercity'

UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETING AT WHICH I WILL BE SPEAKING AGAINST THE PROPOSED WELLINGTON 'SUPERCITY' BASED ON FACTS, EVIDENCE AND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THE AUCKLAND 'SUPERCITY (for the 1%)':

http://cartertonvoice.nz/index.php/events/9-why-the-auckland-super-city-is-a-super-mess

When: 7.30pm to 9pm, Friday 23rd January 2015
Where: Carterton Memorial Club, Broadway, Carterton
Speaker: Penny Bright
Penny grew up in Carterton and is now an Auckland resident with a colourful character. She is presenting facts and evidence about the Auckland Super-City and what this has meant for the majority of Auckland citizens and residents.
Penny calls herself an "investigative activist" and uses the electoral process as an effective way to campaign for open, transparent and democratically accountable local and central government. She has taken a stand by refusing to pay her rates since 2008 because Auckland City and now the Auckland Super-City cannot tell her how her rates are being spent which is a legal requirement under the Local Government Rating Act.
Penny stood:
• For the Auckland mayorality in 2010 and in 2013 polling 4th with nearly 12,000 votes.
• For Epsom in 2011 versus John Banks
• For Helensville in 2014 versus John Key
Penny is one of those brave souls who is sacrifiing her own time to fulfill what she considers is her public duty to ensure that we have open and transparent democracy.

_________________________________________________________

I will be explaining from firsthand knowledge and experience how this Auckland 'Supercity for the 1%' has been a disaster for the rest of us.

Auckland Council rates and debt have skyrocketed, while services, transparency, accountability and democracy have plummeted.

Seven democratically elected Auckland Councils were replaced with seven undemocratically selected 'Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) - which are effectively 'Corporate Controlled Organisations', and have been the mechanism by which the Auckland region is being run 'like a business, by business, FOR business'.

The highly unpopular Auckland City Council Controlled Organisation, responsible for providing water and wastewater services - Metrowater, has now been effectively replaced with a GIANT 'regional' Metrowater - Watercare Services Ltd, (formerly the 'wholesale' water services provider).

The corporate agenda of the Auckland 'Supercity' and the 'one big Auckland Water Company' - were forced upon the people of the Auckland region.

We never got a vote on whether we wanted either - both were railroaded through Parliament by central government.

Please be advised that the CCO model has never been subject to any 'cost-benefit analysis:

EVIDENCE is available here:

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/SiteCollectionDocuments/aboutcouncil/committees/ ccostrategyreviewsubcommittee/meetings/cccosrsubcomminatt20120606.pdf

'Economies of scale' resulting in the forced amalgamation of the Auckland region, have worked, in my opinion, for BIG business, property developers, investors and financial institutions NOT the majority of Auckland citizens and ratepayers.

A 'bigger public trough - for bigger but fewer private snouts'.

First CCOs - then PPPs? (Public-Private Partnerships)?

Who knew that Auckland Council in 2011, got the lawful right to borrow overseas, in their own right, because of their size?

I didn't - until a few days ago!

Which Auckland citizens and ratepayers remember being specifically consulted on whether or not WE thought it was a good idea for Auckland Council to borrow on our behalf - from whom - for what?

Given that the liability for the repayment of any Auckland Council debt - ultimately falls back on citizens and ratepayers?

Read for yourself and ask - 'in whose interests is this Auckland 'Supercity' Council, really working?

(Follow the dollar .......?)

http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/ AboutCouncil/businessandeconomy/Pages/investorcentre.aspx

ENDS

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