Auckland mayoral hopeful John Tamihere refusing to back down on Watercare claims

Wednesday, 24 July 2019

Meet the Candidate: John Tamihere.

Mayoral hopeful John Tamihere is refusing to walk-back controversial claims ACC wants to acquire half of the company supplying water to Aucklanders.

Both ACC and the minister in charge of the Crown entity, Labour's Iain Lees-Galloway, have dismissed claims an offer has been made for 50 per cent of council-owned Watercare.

Meanwhile, Tamihere and his running mate are butting heads over how to treat Watercare, with Christine Fletcher speaking out against privatisation.

Phil Goff has ruled out privitising Watercare so long as he is mayor.

Tamihere made the claims during a public debate with incumbent Phil Goff at the North Harbour Club this month.

**READ MORE:

John Tamihere is at odds with his running mate, Christine Fletcher, over the privatisation of Watercare.

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The first-time candidate wants to sell 49 per cent of Watercare and claims ACC has already made a bid for half of the company

'Phil knows it, the public needs to know it,' he said.

But ACC told Stuff the claim was rubbish.

'We do not normally comment on potential or actual investment opportunities; however, in this case, in relation to Watercare, we confirm that ACC has not received any investment proposal nor are we aware of any sales process,' a spokesman said.

A spokeswoman for Lees-Galloway said it was 'not true' to say an ACC bid for 50 per cent of Watercare existed.

Tamihere remained unwavering.

'I'm just putting some facts of the table here,' he said.

'I cannot and will not out my source.

'The question is – is it an asset class available for sale? And the answer is, yes.'

Meanwhile, Fletcher, a three-term councillor, one-time Mayor of Auckland City and former National MP, did not share her running mate's enthusiasm for a partial sale of Watercare.

'I think water is a very sensitive issue – some weighting must be put on the value of water and its sensitivity,' she told Stuff.

'I would err very much on the side of caution, it's not something to be dealt with lightly.'

Tamihere's public announcement wes was going to be part of a wider policy on 'asset recycling' and innovative ways of continuing public ownership and control.

'I admire his courage to bring forth these ideas,' she said.

Tamihere did not see the internal disagreement as a problem.

'She's my running mate, I'm not her commander-in-chief,' he said.

'We are breaking the mold and changing the political narrative in this election.'

Tamihere believed Fletcher could be responding to reluctance among the National Party and the National-aligned Communities and Residents group she is standing for.

'She's got her own cats to herd,' he said.

'You would think C and R and the National Party, that this is in their DNA.

'So you have to ask the question of that side of town, why there is reticence for it – that's their business.

'I don't understand it, particularly from their side of town.'

Goff, running for a second term as mayor, was totally against privatising Watercare, saying it would increase ratepayers' water bills.

'What that would mean for the average household is another $200 to $300 a year in water rates,' he said earlier this month.

'Because when somebody pays $4-$5 billion for a half share in Watercare they've got to get a financial return on that.'