PSA STATEMENT
Secrecy Over Auckland City Review Causes Alarm
Birch Consulting Group has responded to the PSA, saying he would not meet but instead referred us to Brian Taylor CEO
Auckland City.
Given that Brian Taylor will not meet with us either to discuss the review process the result is the same - no open
consultation about change.
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'The secrecy surrounding the razor gang employed by Auckland Mayor John Banks to cut $25 m from Auckland City budgets
is causing alarm amongst Auckland City staff' said Richard Wagstaff, PSA National Secretary.
'The refusal to disclose even what they are up to or engage with workers through the PSA about the changes just deepens
suspicion' .
'Despite the PSA's urgent and written requests to the Mayor and Birch Consulting Group Ltd for information and a
meeting about the scope of the cost cutting review, we have not even had the courtesy of a reply'.
'The best answer we have had is from Auckland City CEO Brian Taylor which was a flat 'no' to a meeting'.
'Our members are naturally very concerned that their worst fears could come true. They know the track record of Bill
Birch and they can see very clearly that Banks has no regard for normal open democratic process'.
''Both Birch and Banks were part of the National Government that made an art form of bulldozing through secret agenda's
that were never put in front of the electorate'.
'Unless Banks and his mates start fronting up honestly with their agenda, we can only guess what these people will be
up to given their pedigree' said Richard Wagstaff.
ENDS