Flow of information important as flow of water with reforms COMMENT

• Published date: 29 September 2021

Need more time

Many councils are calling for more time to assess the proposal, to inform and gather feedback from their communities, and to work through the implications of change. We’ve heard the Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta say this conversation has been on the table for four years. While at one level this is true, it’s not accurate for most of the country.

The Government, through the Department of Internal Affairs, has been examining the three waters issue for four years, and for the last two of those it’s worked with a steering group made up of local government representatives to work through issues, options, and solutions on behalf of us all.

While good in theory, this approach has effectively denied most councils the opportunity to look at all the options, and work through a process of narrowing them down.

We’ve been given just eight weeks to do this, but without an understanding of or access to all the details that have helped shape the current proposal. The window we’ve been afforded to evaluate and provide feedback on the proposed WSE model is at odds with the normal statutorily prescribed consultation processes that councils and their communities are used to.

Information shared to date leaves many unanswered questions, including the next steps. There is no clarity about the intended process for community consultation or if the Government will support 67 councils around the country to do this well. It is important the Government fronts, and funds, their proposal if it proceeds. An earlier commitment to provide guidance about community consultation hasn’t been fulfilled, which leads some to the conclusion the reform will be made mandatory.

A related concern is the proposed timeframe for another piece of work looking at the future for local government. This work could result in a fundamental reshaping of the role local government plays in our communities, and most people believe this work should precede any decisions about the three waters — it’s like putting the cart before the horse.

Governance structure

A professional competency-based board is proposed to govern each WSE. This acknowledges the increasing complexity of managing the three waters, particularly in large-scale operations. Watercare and Wellington Water already have similar governing boards.

The unwieldy parts of the governance design stem from the desire to retain councils and mana whenua involvement, but without the powers to control. If councils were to retain...