25 November 2006

MEDIA RELEASE

Ratepayers Risk On Stadium Now In Government’s Hands.

Auckland ratepayers will await with some trepidation the outcome of Monday’s Cabinet discussion on the site for the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final.

While the two councils chose different options both included in their resolutions a condition that their choice and support depended on there being no demands on ratepayers for either building or operational costs.

[To date the Government has suggested that it would give less funding to an Eden Park upgrade compared to a waterfront option]

NoMoreRates has bombarded both City and Regional councils, and individual councillors with submissions and demands for this ‘no rates’ condition to be inserted in any resolutions they might pass.

The fact that both councils included such a condition , is an initial victory in our ongoing campaign to protect ratepayers from any further financial exposure, and bring about changes to funding and spending by local government.

Having convinced local politicians to adopt this stance, ratepayers must now hope that government will take strong heed of this condition when it considers the issue on Monday.

NoMoreRates is emailing all members of the Cabinet over the weekend to re-inforce our demands.

Whatever cabinet decides on Monday about location it must not expect ratepayers to pick up any part of the bill – for either construction, depreciation, maintenance or ongoing operation cost and possible losses.

The NoMoreRates campaign started earlier this year in response to announcements that council rates around the country were to be raised by as much as ten per cent each year for the next ten years.

The campaign then threw its support behind a Rates Capping Bill which was only denied a first reading in Parliament by the duplicity of Winston Peters and his New Zealand First party.

At that time NoMoreRates supporters sent an avalanche of thousands of emails to all MPs to generate support for the Capping Bill.

Currently a nationwide petition is circulating calling for Parliament to introduce legislation to control council rate increases – a further announcement on this petition will be made next week.

The campaign is also preparing submissions to the Independent Inquiry into rates.

ENDS

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