Today at the select committee hearing public submissions on the third super city bill, we had the mayors and ARC chairman Mike Lee in. There were some great submissions and useful debate. In amongst it all I took the opportunity to ask several of them their view of the provision in the bill which repeals the requirement for a binding ballot of Aucklanders before the Ports of Auckland can be sold off.
Mike Lee, Bob Harvey, Andrew Williams and Len Brown all gave unambiguous answers that the binding ballot requirement should stay.
I didn’t however get a straight answer out of John Banks after three attempts. In reply to my first two attempts he said how opposed he was to asset sales but steadfastly avoided my specific question. On my third attempt he just looked away.
The ARC submission on that bill is very impressive and points out so many of its flaws.
A summary of what the ARC said today is available here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1003/S00009.htm
You guys have to stop Banks. He’s plain evil, because he has absolutely no empathy for people, only money. Keep up the good work.
Go Len Brown!!
IMHO – There should be a requirement for owners to be consulted on any asset sales (LG or Central Govt). The owners that I define include past and future residents and is defiantly not the council. I also disagree with residents having a poll where the money is given back to (bribed) to selective resident, as was the case with Hutt City Council where the current councilors bought their seats with said bribe using ratepayers own money.
Auckland – City For Sale.
Go John Banks!!
@ G ooner LOL
No referendum, no consultation about asset sales… Sounds like democracy to me…
Each and every Aucklander needs to remember Mr Banks’ immortal words: “If I wear my policy on my sleeve, I won’t get elected.”
(http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/national/2925552/When-Auckland-thinks-big-the-rest-think-hard )
Thanks for the link jarbury. Much appreciated.
verdant THAT would make a great poster…