Chief Reporter

KEEP OUR PORT PUBLIC PETITION TO BE PRESENTED TO CHCH CITY COUNCILLORS ON THURSDAY MORNING, JULY 20TH
MEDIA CONFERENCE, 8.30 A.M., CITY COUNCIL BUILDING
See below for details.

The Keep Our Port Public (KOPP) coalition circulated a petition calling on the Christchurch City Council not to proceed with its proposal to sell any of its Lyttelton Port Company shares to Hutchison Port Holdings Ltd of Hong Kong or any other foreign or NZ company; and to commit to keep the Lyttelton Port Company in 100% public ownership.

That petition closed in June, having gathered nearly 3,000 signatures.

KOPP applied to present it at a full meeting of the City Council, with five minutes speaking rights (the time allowed by Standing Orders). We were told that such permission is the sole prerogative of the Mayor, Garry Moore, and he refused to grant it, saying we should take the petition to the Lyttelton Port Company. This is nonsense, as the petition is addressed to the City Council, and we wish to take the matter up with our elected representatives, not the unelected directors of a company.

Fortunately, we have found a couple of City Councillors concerned enough about the proposed sale and the erosion of democracy within Christchurch’s local government. These two Councillors, Helen Broughton and Anna Crighton, are happy to accept the petition from us, inside the City Council building (but not the actual Council Chamber) immediately before this Thursday’s meeting of the full Council, at which one of them will present it to her colleagues (Standing Orders prohibit Councillors speaking to a petition that s/he presents).

KOPP invites reporters to a media conference at which the petition will be presented to the Councillors.

WHEN

Thursday July 20th (this Thursday)

WHAT TIME

8.30 a.m.

WHERE

Christchurch City Council Building, Tuam Street

WHAT ROOM

Chambers Mezzanine Meeting Room

DIRECTIONS

Main foyer, door at rear left marked “Lifts”. There are two lifts – take the left one, as it is the only one to stop at the mezzanine floor. Push the M button.
There is no stair access for the public (staff swipe cards are needed).
It’s a small room, with limited seating.

KOPP members will then attend the opening few minutes of the full Council meeting (which starts at 9.30) to witness the petition being presented.

KOPP
Keep Our Port Public
Box 2258, Christchurch, New Zealand
cafca@chch.planet.org.nz
www.keepourportpublic.org

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