The mainly Maori workforce at Waiheke's recycling plant will lose their jobs after an Auckland City Council committee voted to give the island's waste contract to an Australian company.
Waatea News reports the Citizens and Ratepayers majority on the city development committee disqualified a tender from incumbent recycler Clean Stream because it allegedly lobbied councillors.
Clean Stream managing executive John Stansfield says he was merely challenging statements by council officials about the effectiveness of the VISY plant at Onehunga, where Transpacific Industries will process Waiheke's waste along with glass, paper and plastics from the rest of the city.
He says the decision ignores the wishes of island residents, who he says have benefitted from the company's initiatives such as its contribution to community gardens.
John Stansfield says the community-owned company will close at the end of the month and there may only be jobs for only a third of the staff with the new recycler.
