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Posted on 11-7-2003
Awake
Aucklanders
Last night the Wake Up Auckland Steering
Committee heard from two ARC staff representatives about the
situation behind the upcoming ARC rate rises. We heard:
1 The ARC
did not want to rate separately. They have
only decided to do so because the majority of City Councils
in the area declined to continue to collect rates on behalf
of the ARC. The action of our city Councils have meant
that the ARC will now have to pay double the $6m collection
costs they paid before.
2
They have a plan to start involving
the community in having a direct say from next year.
3
The big increases in rates are because
of the two additional levies that have been created – a transport
levy and a biosecurity levy.
4
The transport levy will be used to
pay private sector operators to run enough mass transit services
like buses and trains. The levies are used to subside corporations
like Stagecoach New Zealand, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Stagecoach Holdings PLC, a UK based company with an
annual turnover of £2 billion per annum. It also operates
in the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, and China.
5 (The
Auckland operation is part of their Overseas Bus division
that operates in Hong Kong, Wellington, and Auckland. This division,
has a turnover of £194.7m, an operating profit of £34.1m
and a fleet size of about 2,150, of which about 900 are in New
Zealand.)
6
It turns out that almost all the
proposed ARC transport levy will be paid out as subsidies to
these private sector companies. In other words our rates
will be used to make up their private profit.
7
The reason for this rort is the fact that in the
early 1990’s, Ruth Richardson, Jenny Shipley and co passed a
law stripped the then ARA of all its assets (like the Yellow
Bus company) and forced them to sell the assets or to prepare
them for sale. Because the ARC does not have an asset
base, we are now being asked to pay huge increase in rates.
8 We pointed
out to the ARC staff that we have had fifteen years of huge
rates increases (since local government amalgamation).
Now we are being asked to pay a levy that will put many people
on to or over the bread line. Enough is enough.
As a result of the meeting, I have had a chance
to reflect on a recommendation from WUA on the ARC rates. I suggest
the following:
- That those people who wish to, withhold payment of the extra levies
for transport.
- That those who do decide to boycott that
way be provided with a letter from WUA that they can attach to their rate
demand to advise the ARC that the rate demand is in dispute.
Marney Ainsworth, mailadmin@wakeupauckland.org.nz
URGENT REQUEST FROM THE HOUSING
LOBBY!
Auckland City Council wants a zoning change, which if adopted, will allow
housing intensification (slummification), unlimited height! Also, Housing
New Zealand have applied for a plan change which will put intensified
housing into a park! (Talbot Park Glen Innes).
What sort of precedent is being created
here?
HEARING: Thursday 10 July
WHERE: Auckland
City Council building, 15th Floor, Greys Ave, 10.00am
THE BASIS OF THE HOUSING LOBBY'S OPPOSITION:
1) "On Plan change 58, Residential 8 will be a new zone
in the District Plan (if adopted)
AND BE THE BIGGEST SHAKEUP AUCKLAND HAS SEEN!
8a 3 stories
8b 5 stories (100m)
8c unlimited height and
intensification!
Our group does not want to see consents applied for on a site by site
basis which will ultimately 'slumify' the entire city!
2) On the same day, Plan Change 118 - Housing New Zealand are the first
to apply for consent under zone 8b (new zone).
One of the hideous features in their application is the fact that they
haveapplied for consent to put intensified housing into the
PARK! (Talbot
Park, Glen Innes).
This would set a precedent for
intensified housing to be constructed in any other park in the Auckland
area. The
Housing Lobby feel that Housing New Zealand are being used as the
catalyst. We are fighting for consent NOT to be granted and asking
that Zone 8 NOT be adopted into the District Plan.
Sue Henry,
Spokesperson,
Housing Lobby
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