Council just doesn't get it – it's our port, not theirs'

The Keep Our Port Public coalition is expecting a big turn out to its Monday April 10 meeting on why the port of Lyttelton should stay in public ownership.

Around 50 supporters of public ownership of the port picketed the Christchurch City Council office on Thursday morning, and most went in to hear the Council discuss the port sale issue.

''It was clear from the questions asked by Councillors that most of them just don't get what the public is concerned about,'', said KOPP spokesperson Christine Dann. ''They seem to be led by the nose by Christchurch City Holdings Ltd (CCHL). CEO Bob Lineham.''

''Mr Lineham totally misrepresented what the public wants to be consulted on. It is not on the commercially sensitive terms and conditions of any proposed sale – it is on whether public assets should sold into private ownership at all. That is properly the business of the Council, not CCHL. That is what the Council should be consulting on.''

''Mr Lineham justified his efforts to privatise our port by saying it was in the best interests of importers and exporters. Well, KOPP has news for Mr Lineham – if he wants to work for importers and exporters he should take an honest job with one of their associations – but until then he should work in the interests of the citizens of Christchurch, most of whom are not importers or exporters, and all of whom are beneficial owners of the economic assets he is currently responsible for.''

''The Council is utterly derelict in its duty of taking care of the public wealth, and consulting on any changes to the terms of care'', said Ms Dann. ''This is a strong message which will come from all the speakers at Monday's meeting.''

KEEP OUR PORT PUBLIC

Public Meeting

7:30 p.m. Monday April 10

The Limes Room

Christchurch Town Hall

Speakers

Sir Kerry Burke

Murray Horton, Campaign Against Foreign Control in Aotearoa

Wayne Butson, General Secretary, Rail and Maritime Transport Union

Trevor Hanson, General Secretary, Maritime Union New Zealand

Metiria Turei, Green M.P.

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