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Activist Penny Bright declines Auckland Council proposal to extend outstanding rates

Bright, who fears she has cancer, is asking for the mortgagee sale of her home to be halted.

Well-known activist Penny Bright has declined Auckland Council’s proposal to extend her outstanding rates payment.

Ms Bright, who is believed to have ovarian cancer, is asking for the mortgage sale of her Kingsland home to be halted.

The High Court has ordered the house be sold to recover more than $35,000 in unpaid rates. Ms Bright has refused to pay her rates for more than a decade in a bid to get the council to be more transparent with its spending.

Bright's home is being sold as she has refused to pay rates for over a decade.

"I believe because it has been incredibly stressful, it has gone to my stomach - that’s where this stress has gone. There’s something to be said about having the guts to do something, and I believe that my guts have been affected to that extent.

"We are yet to find out, but no citizen should have to go through what I’m going through," Ms Bright said.

Auckland Council says they would like to see Ms Bright stay in her home and to postpone her outstanding rates bill, which will not require immediate payment to the council.

"I want to reiterate that options are available to those whose personal circumstances result in them struggling to pay their rates," Auckland Council acting group financial officer Matthew Walker said.

Ms Bright has requested another meeting with Auckland Council. Both the council and Ms Bright have until 4pm Tuesday to find a solution.

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