Poll: Three Waters backtrack

• Published date: 30 March 2022

"We are committed to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, and our relationship with mana whenua, and we will be working hard to put things right," Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said

The city's elected members voted 7-6 yesterday to revoke last month's decision to join Communities 4 Local Democracy, a collective of more than 30 councils opposed to key aspects of the Government's Three Waters reform programme.

Mr Hawkins argued joining the group had amounted to the council turning its back on mana whenua, represented by Te Runanga o Otakou and Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki, who have ancestral links to the area.

This prompted the two runanga to suspend their involvement in the council's Maori participation working party, which has input into strategies and projects.

Mr Hawkins said repairing damage to the relationship would take time.

Te Runanga o Otakou chairwoman Rachel Wesley and Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki chairman Matapura Ellison said they were greatly heartened by yesterday's decision.

"We respect the council's right to argue for its position, just as Kai Tahu will argue strongly for ours in an effort to ensure more equitable, sustainable and affordable water services," they said in a joint statement.

"What we disagreed with strongly was the decision to outsource the council's position to a splinter group campaign that has not engaged with mana whenua in any meaningful way."

Cr Jim O'Malley, among the six councillors outvoted yesterday after the 8-7 result that went his way last month, said he had fought to prevent the council losing control of about $3 billion of assets.

Government reforms include planned regional water services entities assuming control of some council assets.

Cr O'Malley said he had not been able to engage the mayor about loss of local control and was frustrated about the council's lack of communication with iwi.

"It has always puzzled me the extent to which multiple requests to actively engage with Ngai Tahu have never been met with any actions in this council," Cr O'Malley said.

It turned out they were on a collision course:

"Our trains were on the same track running towards each other at full throttle and nobody was talking."

Cr Carmen Houlahan described the Government as a bully forcing councils into compliance with its agenda.

Cr Rachel Elder abstained from the vote and said this was the toughest call she had made as a councillor.

"I value our relationship with mana whenua dearly and news our relationship had been damaged has...