PSA MEDIA RELEASE
December 10, 2009
For Immediate Use
Rodney Hide gets it wrong

“Local government minister Rodney Hide was wrong to claim in Parliament* yesterday that the PSA has spoken to the Labour Party about its concerns that the creation of the Auckland super city could lead to services being privatised,” says Public Service Association national secretary Brenda Pilott.

“We have not voiced concerns to the Labour Party, but we have taken them straight to Mr Hide.”

“The Minister may recall that local government workers asked him about the issue of privatisation when he attended a conference, organised by the PSA, for local government staff just last month.”

“At the conference local government workers took the opportunity to ask the Minister about privatisation of services in the context of creating a single council in Auckland.”

“So Mr Hide should be fully aware of the concerns Auckland local government workers have about the future of their jobs and services as we move closer to the formation of the super city,” says Brenda Pilott.

*Question and answer in Parliament yesterday December 9,2009

Phil Twyford: Does he stand by his statement to Cabinet that these protections—the ones in the Local Government (Auckland) Amendment Act—relate to “the sensitivity at the time surrounding the potential sale of the ports of Auckland”; if so, on what basis does he believe Aucklanders have changed their minds and no longer want a referendum on the privatisation of their ports?

Hon RODNEY HIDE: Yes; the reason is that I have trust in Auckland people. We have had, on numerous occasions, Mr Twyford claim that the Government’s reforms are all about privatisation. On 9 June it was swimming pools, on 12 July it was libraries, on 20 July it was housing, on 29 October it was the waterfront, and on 9 November it was water. All these claims have been proven to be false. I understand that the Public Service Association has been concerned about them and has spoken to the Labour Party because of the upset that is being caused among council staff by the false allegations that are being made by the member

ENDS

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