Local Government candidates told to front up over asset sales, Maori and the resource management act

The Executive Director of the New Zealand Maori Council, Matthew Tukaki, has all candidates standing for Local Government to publicly commit to the non-sales of water assets into private hands and foreign ownership:

“Water and food security will be significant issues into the future and we need to ensure that we protect as much of the asset base as we can. I grow tired of glib statements and one liners from some candidates who are publicly stating an intention to sell water assets – those assets are not these to sell just to fund some whacko bunch of policies that have no real currency of getting off the ground.” Mr Tukaki

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Auckland Mayoral candidate, John Tamihere, is one aspirant who is publicly stated an intention to sell as much as 49% of Auckland’s Watercare:

“I do not know anyone who thinks selling this sort of public asset into privet, and eve foreign ownership, makes any sort of sense. I also find it ironic that Mr Tamihere’s name is on the bottom of a press release welcoming the Waitangi Tribunals recommendations in respect of Water and yet he wants to sell a significant public asset down the river – then what? So we sell the asset only to then find we have to rent it all back again – so tell me how does the ratepayer win? And by the way Maori might just have a claim when it comes to some of this.” Tukaki said

“So yes I do expect that those standing for local government make a public statement that water assets are off the sale agenda – and I think a lot of people would also like to know what the thoughts of candidates are when it comes to the resource management act, how they to engage with Maori, Hapu and Iwi as well as the representation of Maori on council owned entities from the top of the North to the bottom of the South.” Tukaki said