20k sign petition for CAB
Peoplerallied behind Auckland’s Citizens Advice Bureau and libraries as public consultation on Auckland Council’s draft budget closed on Tuesday night.
The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) planned to deliver 20,000 signatures in support of its operations to deputy mayor Desley Simpson on Tuesday.
The draft budget outlines how Auckland Council hopes to close a $295 million budget shortfall.
The future of CAB is uncertain amid proposed budget cuts to community services.
CAB Auckland City general manager Kate Anderson said if the cuts went ahead, ‘‘Auckland Council’s proposed cuts would shred Auckland’s social fabric. ‘‘Aucklanders value the CAB and see it as a vital local service.
‘‘Continued funding for Citizens Advice Bureau is about delivering core social infrastructure that underpins community wellbeing.’’
Consultation budget closed
Tuesday.
The Public Service Association planned to join CAB to hand over its petition on Tuesday.
Social justice sector organiser Simon Oosterman said following years of Covid-19 and more on at the draft 11pm on recently the Auckland Anniversary floods, closing CABS ‘‘is simply outrageous’’.
Meanwhile, library advocates are decrying proposed cuts to library operating costs. It could mean libraries might be closed on some days and librarians replaced with volunteers.
Public Libraries of NZ research into Auckland Libraries data showed even after discounting the 180 days libraries were closed during Covid lockdowns, the average number of books borrowed per day had increased by at least 319 during the past three years.
Former Silver Fern Linda Vagana, who is the general manager of charity Duffy Books in Homes, said the move would disproportionately affect vulnerable communities.
‘‘Schools, charitable organisations like ours and libraries all work together to provide a wraparound service to whanau who would otherwise not be able to access books, reading materials or assistance with digital literacy.
‘‘We know that for Mā ori and Pasifika communities, literacy
and numeracy skills continue to be a struggle and libraries and their staff provide a much-valued resource,’’ she said.
‘‘For some . . . the library is a quiet, safe place to work, when homes may be cold or overcrowded or there is no access to digital technology.’’
Author Alan Duff founded Duffy Books in Homes ‘‘to break the cycle of booklessness’’. It donates more than 700,000 books to vulnerable children a year.
‘‘I think the Auckland Council needs to go back to the drawing board and come up with some other ways to reduce funding, rather than penalise the most marginalised in our society.,’’ Vagana said.
Auckland Council has been approached for comment.
To have your say, visit the Auckland Council site.
‘‘Continued funding for CAB is about delivering core social infrastructure that underpins community wellbeing.’’ CAB Auckland City