Public Auction of John Banks' Home, Sunday 14th July

3 July 2002

The Council Housing Action Group will be auctioning Mayor John Banks' home at 3pm during an afternoon of live music, street theatre, fun and action in Remuera on Sunday 14th July. This is the first home of 12 that may have to be auctioned to help reduce the Council's mountain of debt and to raise money for the campaign to stop the sales of Auckland city's public housing stock.

Business consultants have assured us that now is the right time to sell. It will also be a timely reminder of what it feels like to have one's home sold over one's head. Auckland MPs, councillors and community board members are also being specifically invited to support this event which aims to keep the pressure on politicians to honour the overwhelming public opposition to the sales of Auckland's council housing.

"The Council's decision to ask government if they are interested in buying the housing stock is no guarantee that this will happen. We need to keep the pressure up and the momentum going by keeping the issue in the public domain," said Sigrid Shayer, spokesperson for the Council Housing Action Group.

"It is hard to know what are the "extraordinary lengths" that the Council says it is going to in protecting the welfare of pensioners. 50% rent rises, along with continued uncertainty over the prospect of unwanted relocation is causing damaging levels of stress and can hardly be viewed as treating pensioners with dignity, as John Banks has assured us he is doing. The Council's bland assurance that pensioners will be able to apply for accommodation supplement, ignores the fact that it will only ever partially cover the increase and has low asset thresholds. For instance, single people will be restricted if they have cash savings of between $2,700 and $8,100, when the supplement ceases."

Pensioners and council tenants from across the city will be joined by supporters in solidarity against this undignified and callous treatment. Fundraising activities start at 2pm with live music, garage sale, hot food and street theatre, with the auction at 3pm. Outside Remuera Library, corner of St. Vincent Street and Remuera Road.

Council Housing Action Group,

spokesperson, Sigrid Shayer ph 3611517.

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