Press Release

ISSUED BY AFFORDABLE AUCKLAND

Review Council Advisory Groups

As yet another Council advisory group looks set to be created by Auckland council, following a vote by the Community Development and Safety Committee to establish a Rainbow Advisory group, Stephen Berry of Affordable Auckland says its time to review the existence of all Council advisory groups. “Auckland Council should not be in the business of creating special interests which get a greater hearing than other concerned individuals.”

Mr. Berry has identified five demographic advisory boards that should be abolished. These are the Advisory Panels for Seniors, Pacific Peoples, Ethnic Peoples, Youth and Disabilities. “The reason the Council has incorrectly determined these advisory panels are needed is because it routinely strays far outside the realms of the genuine core services it provides.”

Stephen Berry says the core functions of Council are to administer the naturally monopolistic services that are essential to the functioning of the city. “I’m referring to managing storm water and sewerage, rubbish collection a footpaths. It is clear that seniors, gays and Pacific people all need their rubbish collected. We don’t need a special advisory board for each group to convey that.”

Also in his sights is the Public Art advisory panel. “Auckland Council should not be spending one cent of ratepayer money on public art whether it be musical groups, theatre or sculptures. Should a philharmonic orchestra wish to sustain itself then it needs to make a profit from ticket sales like every other form of music. Art sculptures should be donated by philanthropists not funded by rates.”

“Every individual Aucklander has the right to lobby their councillor or local board member if they are dissatisfied with a Council service. Creating collective pork-barrel groups is a perversion of democracy and disadvantages those not represented by an advisory panel.

“In the current environment of over-taxing, over-spending and over-borrowing, the last thing the Council should be doing is wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars on advisory boards.”

Ends

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