Creeping privatisation in local government

Written By: - Date published: 1:53 pm, June 2nd, 2010 - 5 comments
Categories: assets, democracy under attack, local government, national/act government, privatisation - Tags:

It’s an innocuous looking bill but Rodney Hide’s Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill packs a wallop when you unpick it.  Not only does it open the door for the privatisation of our water services, it positively ushers it in, takes off its coat and says  ‘stay a spell, why don’t you?’, 35 years in fact.

But the thing that hasn’t been picked up by the MMM (not that privatising our water has received much press), is that the bill is a dog whistle for contracting out and selling the myriad of community, economic, cultural and environmental services and assets that  councils do to make their diverse communities better places to live and work.

With the sinking lid funding system – a similar system has gutted Colorado’s public services – and a narrow range of ‘core activities’ along with  zero requriements to consult with the community (goodbye democracy) when they contract out, it’s wearyingly easy to see that Kiwis are in for another right  screwing by this governement when the private sector get its hands on our water and our assets.

5 comments on “Creeping privatisation in local government ”

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  1. eye saw 1
    2 June 2010 at 3:55 pm

    capcha:help.

  2. ianmac 2
    2 June 2010 at 5:29 pm

    The ominous thing is that wider NZ may not be aware of the implications. In particular is the narrowing to Core Activities. Libraries, sports grounds, parks, water, recycling etc? Some may be Core Activities but thin end of the wedge? And will the cost be born by the rate payers? Water services privately must make a profit. How would you object to the cost/service?
    The rest of NZ, not just Auckland should be very afraid!

  3. BLiP 3
    2 June 2010 at 5:41 pm

    National Ltdâ„¢ has already loaded $200 million debt onto Auckland – what choice does the city have but to privatise services? Geddit?

  4. Armchair Critic 4
    2 June 2010 at 7:59 pm

    Bullseye, Tammy.

  5. Bored 5
    3 June 2010 at 9:48 am

    It is very obvious to me that this is the attempt by NACT and the capital interests that back these neo feudalists to ensure that the citizens of the world have rentier overlords for all that was once communal or of the public domain. We are to be the serfs who are charged for our own needs by a the same old parasite classes. Key to this is the removal of all capital assets from the local bodies into corporate hands, we citizen ratepaying asset holding voters become indebted voteless consumers without any democratic control over what we consume. See it for what it is FEUDALISM.