From the Council Chamber, 18 September 2013: A clear majority of councillors (13/4) have just resolved that the CEO provides a report on the prospect of adopting a living wage to the incoming council, which just four of us voted against – Brewer, Calum Penrose, Dick Quax and Sharon Stewart.
However, a surprising 12 out of 17 councillors supported my amendment for any additional costs to be found within council’s current wage and salary budget. This is quite a turnaround given a similar amendment I put on 12 March was lost by five votes to 10.
Cr Brewer/Quax: ‘That any further work on the living wage be done on the proviso that any extra money required be found within the current wage and salary staff budget (approximately $700m) of the Auckland Council Group, not funded by a further rates increase or reduction in existing council services.’