Cap Have Voted To Call A “Ceasefire’ On The Boycott Of “User Pays’ Water Charges In Waitakere.

While John Banks and his council have chosen to declare war on their community, through asset sales and proposals for regional profit driven water companies and subsequent privatisation. In contrast, Waitakere City Council (WCC) have chosen to listen to their community.

Years of collective community action, 14000 submissions and petitions, public meetings and pickets and eventually a boycott has convinced Waitakere Council to enter into serious dialogue with CAP regarding the regional agenda to commercialise/franchise/privatise water services and the issue of “user pays’ charging. The ratification of the joint statement of C.A.P. and Council Representatives at the meeting of Waitakere City Council on Wednesday 27th May has now provided enough concrete indicators for boycotters to begin paying their water bills.

“This is indeed a great victory for collective community action, but also reflects an authentic willingness by Waitakere City Councillors to listen to its communities concerns”.

What are the indicators?

(See attachment 1: Joint statement of CAP and Waitakere City representatives).

- The previous right wing political grouping (“Go Waitakere’) who controlled Waitakere Council began court proceedings against our boycotters, branding them “criminals’. After the local body elections the successful “Team West’ ticket took control of the Council. They recognised that CAP represented a large body of opinion in the community and voted to drop court actions and enter into formal dialogue. (A moratorium on water).

- WCC has now formally recognised that franchising of water services as exists in Papakura is privatisation. They have sent a letter to the Local Government Bill Select Committee declaring franchising as being privatisation and therefore should be prohibited in the Bill.

Meredydd Barrar says, “This is a significant step forward in the struggle to keep water services under public control. The Bill in it’s current form does not outlaw the practice thus making Sandra Lees pronouncements about outlawing privatisation more spin than fact. (See attachment 2: WCC letter to Select Committee).

- WCC are developing policies that will oppose one large water company for the whole Auckland region (Option 3 Water Review). Making them strong advocates for keeping water services under direct democratic control and acting as a bulwark against the agenda of Banks, Auckland Business Association and the Regional Water Review.

- WCC has now put water services back as an arm of the Council.

- WCC have voted to discontinue disconnecting residents who cannot afford “user pay’ charges from their water supply, recognising this practice deprives citizens of a basic human right and is a serious health risk says Mr Barrar.

- WCC is giving serious consideration to lobbying Central Government generally and through a verbal submission to the Local Government Act Select Committee to get water out of the Commerce Act. Recognising water is not a commercial commodity but a public service and a human right.

- WCC are committing to investigate alternatives to “user pays’ and develop a more equitable rating system. They have committed to include CAP in the formation of a number of rating models to be presented to the public through their Strategic Plan and next years Annual Plan process. CAP are confidant that the Council will eventually reflect the community will on this issue. If they do not the community can again consider the option of direct action.

THESE ISSUES WILL BE DISCUSSED AT A PUBLIC MEETING, 7PM THURSDAY 11TH APRIL, KELSTON COMMUNITY CENTRE (Grt Nrth Rd and Awaroa Rd). The meeting will be addressed by Murray Horton (CAFCA) an international authority on privatisation and globalisation (plus more¡K)

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