OPINION:

Three Waters under urgency?

Parliament’s select committee considering the Three Waters legislation has concluded after receiving one of the highest volume of submissions of any select committee process ever.

The final report on Friday
involved 88,383 written submissions on what is one of the most contentious bills in recent times.

Twists and turns in the select committee process have attempted to navigate co-governance, ownership and alternative models in a reform that has faced significant public resistance.

The final recommendations are likely to include a modified governance model and expanding Te Ao Māori concepts of Te Mana o te Wai beyond freshwater to also include coastal and geothermal water. Mana whenua may also be able to introduce a Te Mana o te Wai statement and the new Water Service Entities will be required to give effect to these statements.

Whangārei District Council has strongly resisted the Three Waters reforms, including a legal challenge in June this year in collaboration with Timaru and Waimakariri councils that tested the legal rights and interests that Three Waters entails.

In my general discussions following the final report on Friday it seems to me that the new council may still be unconvinced around the benefits of the reforms to local ratepayers and we shall wait to see what position and actions if any are initiated.

National’s Local Government spokesperson on the select committee, MP Simon Watts, expressed concerns during the committee stage that no consideration was made around a well-supported alternative model.

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta gave assurances that they would consider the alternative Three Waters model proposed by the Auckland, Christchurch and Waimakariri mayors. I lodged a motion in select committee last week to extend our deliberations in order to properly consider the mayors’ proposal, but Labour MPs used their majority to block the motion – ensuring the Bill would be sent back to the House without adequately considering the new proposal.”

Further developments last week may add fuel to this fire. On the last sitting day we were made aware that Parliament will sit under urgency until midnight for most of the coming week and into the weekend.

I do not think it will be well-received by the New Zealand public if the contentious Three Waters legislation is rammed through Parliament under urgency.

My position on Three Waters is very clear and has been displayed on the Vine Street digital billboard for many months now. If we are in a position to do so, we will repeal Three Waters and work with communities to develop solutions that work for them instead of top-down.

I back our local council and I back our local communities.