Penny Bright says she's not backing down from her decade long battle with the Auckland Council, even as it moves to sell her home to recover her unpaid rates.
Proceeds from the sale of her Kingsland cottage will be used to recover $34,000 in unpaid rates and penalties, as well as $20,000 in court costs.
But the activist is not backing down, she has refused to pay her rates since 2007 because she doesn't think the Council is transparent enough about how it spends ratepayers' money.
"I'm consistent, persistent, and I'm an absolutely determined anti-corruption whistleblower who's making a stand for the transparency that we are lawfully entitled to," she told RadioLive.
"What am I doing that is wrong? I am demanding my lawful rights as a citizen. I am entitled to democracy services, democracy services include transparency and where exactly rates monies are being spent," she said.
"There are billions of dollars, we don't know where they are going because the books are still not open. I'm not budging until they are."
Ms Bright says the Council "aren't going to shut me up".
In 2010, Ms Bright received a good citizens award from a council community group for her efforts in seeking transparency from the council over rates - and she thinks she deserves another.
"I should be getting another good citizens award and what am I doing, I'm being threatened with the sale of my house. How the hell does that work?"
The Council says Ms Bright has declined a meeting to resolve the matter, and it has now asked the High Court to commence the sale process.
"Taking enforcement action to recover unpaid rates is the last resort and happens very rarely," Auckland Council's Acting Group Chief Financial Officer Matthew Walker said.
"While we would prefer not to have reached this point, the council needs to be fair to the thousands of Aucklanders who do pay their rates or have a payment plan in place."
Ms Bright is calling for the public to support her in her battle, saying that it is not just for herself but on behalf of all citizens.
"If we were the least corrupt country in the world don't you think the books would be open and we'd know exactly where public money was being spent on consultants and contractors?" she asked.
"This wild west on steroids that we have right now has got to stop."
Newshub.
