North Shore Councillor reminds government of resounding 'no' to privatisation

A recent paper from Local Government Minister Rodney Hide which would allow for more business involvement in council water supply and wastewater disposal services has re-ignited debate about possible privatisation.

However North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Chair Grant Gillon says he would like to remind the Government of the results of a North Shore residents’ survey from earlier this year.

“In our council’s July survey, 89 percent of North Shore residents supported public ownership of water supplies, and 85% wanted other strategic assets to remain in public ownership.

“I have every reason to believe that this view is reflected right across Auckland and probably the whole of New Zealand,” he says.

“Minister Hide’s document can be interpreted as opening the door to privatisation, and if so, the government should be very careful about going further down this path.”