OPEN LETTER / OFFICIAL INFORMATION
REQUEST/SUBMISSION TO NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK RE:
26 February 2003
Dear Prime Minister,
On 26 November 2002, the United Nations
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights passed a 'General Comment'
(ie: an interpretation of the United Nations Covenant on Economic, Social and
Cultural Rights), which declared water to be a basic human right.
Press Release from
the United Nations, 26 November 2002:
"States parties
to the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have the
duty to progressively realize, without discrimination, the right to water.
The human right to
water entitles everyone to sufficient, affordable, physically accessible, safe
and acceptable water for personal and domestic uses, the text notes.
While those uses vary
between cultures, an adequate amount of safe water is necessary to prevent
death from dehydration, to reduce the risk of water-related disease and to
provide for consumption, cooking, personal and domestic hygienic requirements.
The right to water
contains both freedom and entitlements; the freedoms include the right to
maintain access to existing water supplies necessary for the right to water;
and the right to be free from interference, such as the right to be free from
arbitrary disconnections or contamination of water supplies, the text states.
The elements of the
right to water should be adequate for human dignity, life and health. The
adequacy of water should not be interpreted narrowly, by mere reference to
volumetric qualities and technologies. Water should be treated as a social and
cultural good, and not primarily as an economic commodity.
The manner of the
realization of the right to water should also be sustainable, ensuring that the
right can be realized for present and future generations.
Further, the General
Comment notes that States parties have a constant and continuing duty, in
accordance with the obligation of progressive realization, to move
expeditiously and effectively towards the full realization to the right to
water.
Realization of the
right should be feasible and practicable, since all States parties exercise
control over a broad range of resources, including water, technology, financial
resources and international assistance, as with all other rights in the
Covenant. "
However, simultaneously, and in parallel,
the water multinationals have been pushing for an extension of their 'corporate
rights' to commodify and privatize the world's water by getting changes to GATS
(The General Agreement on Trade in Services).
The big European-based water multinationals
are behind moves by the European Commission to change GATS rules to make it
easier to privatize our water.
Can you please, therefore, Prime Minister,
provide the following information:
1) Copies of all minutes and briefing
papers of ANY form, of ALL meetings, at ALL levels of Government whether they
be Cabinet, Ministerial or Departmental that provide evidence that this Labour
Government has discussed how it plans to fully incorporate water, as a basic
human right, into domestic New Zealand law.
2) Copies of all minutes and briefing
papers of ANY form, of ALL meetings, at ALL levels of Government whether they
be Cabinet, Ministerial or Departmental that provide evidence that this Labour
Government has discussed how opening up water and other environmental services
to privatization via GATS (through Public-Private-Partnerships, otherwise known
as 'franchising' or 'contracting out') will impact on the full incorporation of
water, as a basic human right into domestic New Zealand law.
3) Copies of all minutes and briefing
papers of ANY form, of ALL meetings and all information from the European
Commission, which call for the New Zealand Government to open up environmental
services, including water, for privatization by European-based water
multinationals.
4) Copies of all minutes and briefing
papers of ANY form, of ALL meetings and all information from any European-based
water multinationals, including tender documents, particularly from United
Water, the consortium which already operates and manages Papakura District
Council's (and Ruapehu District Council's) water services for private profit
under a Public-Private-Partnership.
5) Please provide copies of the advice from
Crown Law, which provided the information to enable the Local Government Act
2002 to move 'expeditiously and effectively towards the full realization to the
right to water'.
There has been no meaningful, widespread
public discussion or debate in New Zealand on GATS negotiations, and what the
implications are for the operation, management and control of the most
essential of our public services - water.
The Water Pressure Group (Auckland) calls
on the New Zealand Government to stop forthwith the implementation of this
second wave of 'Rogernomics' by stopping forthwith GATS negotiations.
No more 'railroading' at 30,000 feet!
No more secret privatization deals!
We had enough of that under the 1984 -87
Labour Government.
Please advise the European Commission that
the New Zealand Government cannot meet their 'March 31 deadline,' because the
New Zealand public have not yet had widespread and meaningful discussion or
debate of the critical issues involved.
GATS negotiations are NOT in the national interest - they are in the interest of big business based in New Zealand ie: meat and dairy companies who want European agricultural subsidies dropped so they can get more access for their agricultural goods into European countries.
When did the NZ public ever debate and agree that our water services should be privatized in return for more lamb and dairy sales in Europe?
The will of the people shall represent the
basis of the authority of Government! Not the 'will of big business'! Where is
the proof that what is good for big business is good for the majority of us?
WHERE'S THE DEBATE????
We are sick of 'weasel words,' and sick of
treachery from 'centre-left' politicians.
We know one thing that you politicians do
understand - VOTES!
The Water Pressure Group (Auckland) has a
proven track record of campaigning against politicians who sellout on water commercialization
and privatization.
BEWARE!
To back up our demand for the New Zealand
Labour Government to fully incorporate into domestic law, water services as a
basic human right - the Water Pressure Group (Auckland) calls on all households
in Auckland City to join the water bill boycott!
Water services are a basic human right and
water services should be affordable!
Under Metrowater, Auckland City's commercialized,
profit-making water company with its user-charges for water and wastewater
services - many families are being financially crippled, as the Labour
Government knows full well.
The Water Pressure Group (Auckland) intends
to crank up the boycott.
Having thousands of households refusing to pay their water bills also makes the privatization of Auckland's water services a lot less attractive for the European-based water multinationals.
Direct action is something that you
politicians cannot ignore. Under international human rights law, water is a
basic human right- and supplies cannot be arbitrarily disconnected.
Our Water Pressure Group 'Turn On Squad' is
firmly on the side of the people and international human rights law.
Whose interests are you and your Labour
Government serving, Prime Minister Helen Clark?
Human rights or corporate rights?
The people or big business?
Penny Bright
Media Spokesperson
Water Pressure Group (Auckland)