Unions Wellington was devastated to learn that Wellington City Council this afternoon voted to proceed with the sale of its shares in Wellington International Airport, based on dodgy premises and Rogernomic canards.

Southern Ward Councillor Laurie Foon, endorsed by the Green Party, ignored her commitments to Unions Wellington and the urgings of her own party to make the casting vote in favor of Mayor Tory Whanau’s proposal to privatise the Airport.

Wellington Airport is on track to be the first fully privatised airport in New Zealand. Unions Wellington co-convenor Sabina Rizos-Shaw says the Council has abandoned its commitment to workers, the environment and economic democracy by privatising the city’s most important infrastructure and economic asset.

“This year’s Long Term Plan was designed by the Council’s financial officers and consultants to be load-bearing on the Airport sale. We are disappointed in the Mayor and Deputy Mayor for not doing the right thing and insisting on alternative financial modeling, given the massive public opposition to privatisation.”

“It’s galling to see the Mayor and Deputy Mayor rebuke high profile Greens, and the party’s manifesto, to push through an unpopular, economically dubious agenda.”

“Our poll showed that 84% of people in Laurie Foon’s ward opposed this plan, the highest out of any ward.”

“If we learned anything from the sale of Capital Power in the 90’s, a lucky investment company will probably do very well out of this. But like with the Capital Power sale, Wellington’s workers, ratepayers and consumers will lose out.”

Unions Wellington is investigating all avenues going forward to stop the sale.

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