HELP!!!!

You have until 5pm Tuesday 20 May 2008
to put in a submission to Auckland City Council!

Sick of Metrowater / 'user-charges'/ 'Charitable Payments' - where
Metrowater is being used as a CA$H COW to subsidise rates?

Sick of OUR public rates monies being used to fatten consultants and
private contractors?

Think it's time for a FULL INQUIRY into the Metrowater model to check
the FACTS against the MANTRA?

HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO!

Use this 'pro forma' submission (or whatever bits you want), or write your own!

Google the following website address.
www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/documents/annualplan/plan2008/say.asp

Scroll down...
Fill in your contact details.
If you want to make a verbal submission - click on 'yes'.
(Good if you can! It helps!)
If you want a written response to your submission - click on 'yes'.
(Why not!)

Copy and paste/write your own comments into the 'your submission' section.

THERE!
HOW HARD WAS THAT? :)

LAST THING!
Can YOU please forward this email to EVERYONE you know who
might/should be interested?

GOOD ON YOU!!!!

Thanks!

Penny Bright
Media Spokesperson
Water Pressure Group

ATTENTION AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL Submission for Draft 2008/09 Annual
Plan, Amendments to the 2006/16 Long Term Council Community Plan
(LTCCP) and Metrowater pricing review.

I strongly agree that the right to affordable, safe water is a BASIC
HUMAN RIGHT.

I strongly believe that, by making poorer (especially bigger)
families, who NEED to use more water, pay proportionately more than
wealthier families, VIOLATES this BASIC HUMAN RIGHT.

I strongly support the Christchurch model for water services, where
the services of bringing water to households and taking away
wastewater are paid for as a % of the general rate – so the cost of
this ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICE, is spread more fairly across the
community on the basis of 'ability to pay'.
(In Christchurch, I understand that poor 8 person households pay less
than $200 per year – while Metrowater charges over $2000 per year!
TEN TIMES MORE!!!)

I strongly agree and water and wastewater are essential public
services, vital to public health and sanitation, and should be run as
such, under direct Council control. NO WATER RESTRICTIONS!

I strongly support Metrowater being abolished as a 'Council Controlled
Organisation', and returned back to the direct control of Auckland
City Council, operated and managed as an essential public service.

I strongly agree with Parliament, that 'Charitable Payments' are
UNACCEPTABLE and must STOP IMMEDIATELY! On a 'line by line' accounting
basis – prudent stewardship must be exercised over the $850 MILLION
of contracts to the private sector for 'goods, services and people' to
SAVE OUR PUBLIC MONIES and STOP 'CHARITABLE PAYMENTS'.

I strongly support an IMMEDIATE URGENT INQUIRY into the contracting
out (PRIVATISATION) of ALL Council services, to PROVE whether this is
more 'cost-effective' than Council providing services 'in-house'.

I strongly support an URGENT INQUIRY into the 10 years experience of
the 'Metrowater' model to prove whether 'user charges' are FAIRER;
Metrowater is 'more efficient'; and 'user-charges' encourage
conservation.

I strongly disagree with the Metrowater 'commercialised'
(profit-making) model for water services, because it is diametrically
opposed to genuine 'sustainable' water use. If people conserve water
- Metrowater loses income.
Water conservation 'best practice', as has been developed in Australia
where there is a genuine 'water crisis' - is NOT being learned from,
or implemented by Metrowater, in the form of incentives for installing
water tanks to catch rainwater, water-saving devices etc.

I strongly oppose 'one big water company' for the Auckland region, as
I believe that this will allow WATER PRIVATISATION through
'contracting out'.
This has already happened in Papakura, where water multi-national
United Water operates and manages for private profit, the water and
wastewater infrastructure owned by Papakura District Council in a
Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) - internationally the most common
form of water privatisation.