Creeping privatisation in local government

• Tammy Gordon
• 14 years ago
• Categories: assets, democracy under attack, local government, national/act government, privatisation

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.