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At the Waitakere City Council meeting of 29th November the proposed $100 uniform wastewater charge proposed by some Councillors, was defeated. Citizens Against Privatisation's (CAP) campaign against the charge which has involved numerous pickets of council meetings, public rallies, a public meeting attended by 150 people (which passed a resolution threatening civil disobedience if the charge had been passed at the 29th Nov meeting) and the collection of over 4400 individual submissions has been instrumental in defeating the proposed wastewater charge. The campaign has exposed "Go Waitakere" the dominant political grouping on the council as a new-right organisation that is attempting to legislate in the interest of the wealthy. The charge would have reduced the rates of high valued owners and increased the rates of lower valued properties. "Tonight's dumping of the $100 charge proves that ordinary people can be effective when we join together in collective opposition against anti-social policies such as the $100 charge. It is another nail in 'Go Waitakeres' coffin", said a CAP spokesperson. "Go Waitakere had attempted to pervert the course of democracy at a previous council meeting where the wastewater charge was on the agenda. Then, they did not have the numbers to bring in the $100 charge so they boycotted the meeting, which had to be abandoned as no quorum existed. A complaint has been sent to the ombudsman calling on him to investigate this undemocratic action. "CAP intend to organise opposition to the user-pays $1.00 refuse bag policy in Waitakere and join with other Greater Auckland groups that are opposing any proposals regarding user-pays, and any further commercialisation or privatisation of our water services that may occur as a result of the Auckland Region Water Review currently underway."
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