Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

Here is the transcript of Pippa Coom’s

Presentation on the Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill

on behalf of Grey Lynn2030

9 July 2009

My name is Pippa Coom I am on the steering committee of Grey Lynn 2030.

Thank you for this opportunity to talk to our submission.

I would like to go into more detail about who we are so that I can highlight practical examples of why it is so vital for community groups like Grey Lynn 2030 to have a working relationship with Local Boards that have a real and meaningful role with adequate resources and funding

I would like to be brief to allow time for questions.

The transition town movement came out of a response to the twin challenges of an energy-constrained world and climate change. However rather than focus on the doom and gloom it has been a catalyst for practical positive initiatives that respond to local issues. What we have found is that a majority of our 500 supporters are drawn to Grey Lynn 2030 because of the opportunity to be involved with a group promoting and engaging in building neighbourhood spirit and cooperation while working towards a vision of a self –reliant, positive, connected and sustainable community.

I would also like to emphasise that there are now estimated to be over 2 million groups around the world working towards complimentary objectives borne from concern for the environment. We are not in any way a fringe group that is unique to trendy Grey Lynn.

So I hope I have now set the scene to provide a couple of practical examples.

Grey Lynn 2030 supports initiatives as simple as a group of neighbours getting together to transform a vacant section into a community garden or clean up a local stream and undertake tree planting. We can make a lot of progress relying on the enthusiasm of volunteers but to make meaningful progress at some point we need to interact with a local board. For example the Grey Lynn Farmers market which came out of GL2030 and is starting in September in a temporary location at the community hall needs to work with a board with powers to decide location and funding.

The local board should be able to make decisions wherever possible on local issues such as parks, roads, street design, community development, events, recreational facilities, footpaths, resource recovery options, food production and water management. These are the issues that get people excited and engaged at a local level and should be encouraged to develop community identity.

Yes there are aspects of regional governance that will benefit from a unified structure but it is critical that local communities are sustainable, resilient, positive and able to engage on a meaningful level with local boards. The bill provides an excellent opportunity to correct the mistakes of previous restructuring by giving an appropriate number of boards the ability to act locally, with real funding to support grass roots initiatives, set their own policies and have a meaningful say over their own governance.

1

Super City Meeting – Have your say!

Like many of you in Grey Lynn 2030,  I am concerned about what’s happening with the plans for Auckland’s Supercity and the impact on democracy.

Despite huge community opposition, the National-ACT Government are ramming through the legislation without giving people a fair chance to have their say.  You only have until 26 June 2009 to make a submission to Parliament’s Select Committee on Auckland Governance.

As a Labour list MP based in Auckland Central I am holding a public meeting to inform people of the Select Committee process.

Please come and join me on June the 11th to learn more about how to make a submission to the Select Committee

Phil Twyford

Labour List MP

Based in Auckland Central

Spokesperson on Auckland Issues, Disarmament & Arms Control & Associate Foreign Affairs

When – 11th June

Time – 7pm

Where – Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road

For more information on other meetings on Auckland, please click here

An event was organised on April 9th by Community Waitakere to Discuss and scrutinise the Government’s decision on the Regional Governance model or Supercity

From this meeting a new group has formed – Community Coalition for Auckland Region.

For mor further information contact

pam@communitywaitakere.org.nz;

ph 09 838 7904

What ever way you look at it, the new Auckland SuperCity structure is well away from the values of the Transition Town Movement. Some locals are taking action. Our Western Bays Auckland City councillor, Graham Easte is suggesting the process slows down.

Some other people have organised a public meeting.

STOP THE SUPERCITY!
Public Meeting
Wednesday 8 April
7.30 – 9.30 pm

Auckland Trades Hall Auditorium
147 Great North Road
Grey Lynn

Press Release
Having studied the Executive Summary of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance :

We believe the Super City proposal:

1.Further alienates and limits public participation in the democratic process of local government.

2. Clears the way for the Auckland region to be run like a business, by business for business. Where the rate paying majority simply become nothing more than a cash cow milked annually by this Super City structure.

Where is the genuine ‘representation’ to accompany this local
government ‘taxation’?

3. In section 21(a) of the Executive Summary of the Royal Commission on Auckland, the commission states:
“All Auckland Council’s major commercial trading and infrastructure activities should be undertaken through CCO’s.” However, where is the cost benefit analysis that proves that the CCO model (Council Controlled Organisation) is the best way to run our city?

4. The Metrowater model (a CCO) has never been subjected to any cost benefit analysis to check the facts which prove that thiscommercialised (profit-making) model for water services, fundedthrough volumetric, ‘user-charges’ has benefited the public majority. Has the Metrowater model proven to be be ‘fairer’, ‘more efficient’ or to have encouraged water conservation?

5. The Royal Commission is recommending in section (26J) both water and wastewater charges should be calculated on a volumetric (ornotionally volumetric) basis. Judge Salmon has confirmed that the ‘uniform charges for water and wastewater  that should apply across the region’  (as outlined in recommendation  26K), are in fact
volumetric ‘user-charges’.This means ‘user pays’ for water and waste water will be spread across the whole Auckland region.

An example of the negative impact of this policy is a family of 8 inAuckland City with Metrowater’s ‘user-charges’ for water and wastewater, pays on average  over $500 every 3 months. That’s $2000 per year on top of property rates.

The Royal Commission is recommending a giant Metrowater for the Auckland region, with the spreading of ‘user-charges’ for wastewater to Manukau, Waitakere,
and North Shore Cities. When Metrowater was established and ‘user-charges’ were introduced for wastewater, property rates were reduced across the board by 20%. High-valued properties got big rates reductions, low-valued properties got big water bills. This violates the International Human Right to ‘affordable, safe water’ by disproportionately burdening poorer families, especially  larger
families  which need to use more water.

6 .Where are the checks and balances that allows the public to challenge where and how our public money and assets are being managed?
This new structure calls for non-elected boards and agencies to take control of all public assets and will be obliged to operate as successful business as required under the State-owned Enterprise Act.This allows for no effective direct public scrutiny or public control of ourpublic assets and infrastructure.

See Royal Commission recommendation:
(“21 B) Larger commercial and infrastructure CCOs of the Auckland Council should have an obligation to operate as a successful business as required under the State-Owned Enterprises Act with a clear set of
financial targets and objectives.”

Therefore we call upon the citizens of Auckland to organise and oppose the Royal Commission Proposal for the ‘Supercity’ on the basis this new structure will not benefit the majority of Auckland residents and ratepayers.

A Public Meeting has been  called to organise direct action by all those who want to stop the Royal Commission’s ‘Supercity’.

STOP THE SUPERCITY!
Public Meeting
Wednesday 8 April
7.30 – 9.30 pm

Auckland Trades Hall Auditorium
147 Great North Road
Grey Lynn