24 October 2007

Water Pressure Group Defended Hearing

Water Pressure Group (WPG) Media Spokesperson Penny Bright is defending herself today against charges of trespass and obstruction following her arrest on 23 May 2007.

The defended hearing is at 9.30am, Auckland District Court, Albert Street, Auckland City.

Crown solicitors are prosecuting on behalf of the Police.

Bright refused to leave the Auckland City Council Finance and Corporate Business Committe meeting when Metrowater price increases were put under 'confidential' and the public were excluded.

It was publicity from this arrest (front page of the NZ Herald 24 May 2007), that helped galvanise the Local Government and Environment Select Committee, into investigating the planned $324 million Metrowater price increases from 2007 - 2017 to subsidise rates increases.

(Bright and 40 other WPG members had petioned for a full inquiry into Metrowater's and Watercare's charging and practices and the actions and practices of Auckland City Council's Finance and Corporate Business Committee (as Metrowater's 'monitoring body').

The Select Committee concluded:

*"We consider Auckland City Council's description of the price increases for Metrowater cutomers as "modest" and "small" in the Statement of Proposal to have been misleading and to have led to the anxiety and concerns behind the petiton.* **

*We consider that the council could have kept the public better informed about the charitable payments, the rise in water rates, and the decision made to direct that payment from Metrowater into upgrading Auckland's stormwater system. In future the council should ensure that the public is better informed and that its decision making process is transparent.* **

*We consider that the use of charitable payments in this way, and to this extent, is not best practice, and emphasise our concern that it should not be adopted by other local authorities.* **

*We strongly advise Auckland City Council to reconsider its requirement for charitable payments from Metrowater in the years 2007 to 2017."*

Metrowater CEO, Jim Bentley has been summonsed by Bright to appear as a witness.

Former Auckland City Councillor Neil Abel will also be appearing as a witness for Bright.

ENDS

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