Alliance campaigns against water privatization plan

Alliance Party media release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday 15 January 2010

The Alliance is campaigning to keep water rights in public ownership through local councils.

Alliance Economic Development Spokesperson Quentin Findlay says a proposed local government bill of ACT MP Rodney Hide due to be introduced to Parliament in February 2010 could privatize water.

Mr Findlay says that the bill aims to have public-private partnerships in charge of administering and supplying water.

"This means the public would bear the costs while the private sector would reap the benefits, through management and supply of water."

“Mr Hide’s proposed bill is simply water privatization, no matter what ‘spin’ he or the National Party tries to put on it. It involves taking water provision out of the hands of councils and community control and placing it into the hands of unelected contractors.”

Mr Findlay says this approach in other countries meant water supply and provision had suffered with a small number of private firms monopolising the process and ordinary people facing increased costs and poor services.

In the UK, public-private partnerships in water had led to increased costs and allegations of corruption. In Bolivia, privatization of water had actually led to a popular revolt.

“The entire push towards public-private provision has little to do with efficiency and more to do with Mr Hide and ACT serving the wishes of their corporate allies. This is a programme that has failed in every country in which it has been tried.”

Mr Findlay said that the Alliance would be looking at operating an online petition and coordinating with other groups to campaign for public control of water.

He says the Alliance when returned to Parliament would immediately lobby for the public ownership and community control of the country’s water supply and provision.

http://www.alliance.org.nz

ENDS

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