The WPG gives the new Ak City Council the message from Day One!!

Water Pressure Group members and supporters sat quietly in the back row of the public 'Swearing In' ceremony for the new Auckland City Council, held at the Aotea Centre, Thursday evening, 25 November, as members of the new Council stated:

"I ------- declare that I will faithfully and impartially, according to the best of my skill and judgement, execute and perform, in the best interests of Auckland City, the powers, authorities and duties vested in or imposed upon me as a member of the Auckland City Council by virtue of the Local Government Act 1974, the Local Government Meetings and Information act 1987, or any other Act."

Talk about sheer, mind-blowing hypocrisy!

How can the public believe a word they say when it is perfectly legal for politicians to lie to the public about their policies in order to get elected.

This has been confirmed in writing by the Auckland District Commissioner for Police - Howard Broad, who stated in a letter to the Water Pressure Group on 11 October:

"It is lawful, albeit politically risky, for a candidate to misrepresent their policy position."

There are no Council Bylaws or any laws that make politicians, once elected, keep their promises. According to the Commerce Commission, politicians cannot be prosecuted for 'misleading advertising' for broken promises under the "Fair Trading Act' because politicians are not traders.

What a solemn, ceremonious farce. "Democracy?' for whom???

At the end of the ceremony, as everyone else sat down after the singing of the National anthem, five Water Pressure Group members and supporters stood up on the chairs of the back row and held aloft a huge black and yellow banner stating:

"Auckland Citizens & Ratepayers Now

Have a secret privatisation agenda -

Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

Private profit from public infrastructure!!"

"Auckland Citizen & Ratepayers Now, you have no mandate for your secret privatisation agenda!" yelled a WPG member to a stunned audience.

'Buoy racer' Mayor Banks closed the meeting and invited everyone next door for supper and refreshments.

Neither the Mayor, councillors, audience , security or Police said, or did anything as the banner stayed up for a good five minutes while the room emptied of people to the supper room next door.

(Earlier that evening, security for the Aotea Centre had tried to force the WPG to shift banners and placards down the steps.

We stated that as the Aotea Centre had been paid for by the ratepayers, it was not private property, and how could the security or Police prove that our rates had not paid for the piece of the Aotea Centre upon which we were standing?

We refused to move, stating that we had a right to freedom of expression under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and that we were sick of the public being treated with contempt and pushed around. The Police Officer in charge after initially trying to move us on, came back to us stating that the Police would not intervene "unless there was trouble". Security backed off.)

Security tried to prevent us from entering into the supper room on the pretext that it was now a 'private function for the families' of the new Councillors. That hogwash just didn't wash, and new Mayor John Banks confirmed that it was a public function and that we could come in provided that we 'behaved ourselves'.

"You didn't set a very good example yesterday!" countered Sue Henry, referring his 'buoy racer' incident.

The WPG members and supporters tucked into the food and drink provided, celebrating three victories that night for freedom of expression and the warning given to the new Council of stormy weather ahead!

------

The WPG intends to challenge the Auckland Local Body election results. We are awaiting further legal advice, and need $750 for a deposit in the District Court.

If you agree that it is impossible for the public to 'cast an informed vote' when it is perfectly legal for the information upon which that vote was made to be absolute lies, and that makes it a lot easier for the shadowy figures of the rich and powerful to push their pro- privatisation agenda AND YOU WANT TO HELP US MAKE A HUGE FUSS ABOUT IT!:

Please send a cheque to the Water Pressure Group - Mark on the back "Legal Challenge Auckland Election " and send to PO BOX 19764 Avondale. If you've already sent a donation - thanks again! (If 75 people send $10.00 each - we're there!)

PS: RE: Ike's Signs:

The matter will not be heard until 15 November 2001 (at this stage). The signs are still up - the battle continues!

Penny Bright Media Spokesperson Water Pressure Group (Auckland) Ph: 846 9825

© Scoop Media