Same reforms with ‘new coat of paint’: National candidate

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

National Party East Coast candidate Dana Kirkpatrick says the Government’s relaunched water reforms, announced yesterday, are “the same reforms, just with a new coat of paint”.

The major change in the newly named Affordable Water Reforms (rather than Three Waters) is that four mega water entities are replaced by 10 smaller, more geographically coherent entities.

Gisborne has been grouped with Hawke’s Bay .

“The number of entities in the reforms is not what Kiwis are worried about,” Ms Kirkpatrick said.

“They care about ownership and control, and Labour’s rejigged proposal still strips away local decision-making.

“Kiwis are very clear. They want local water assets kept in local hands, without divisive co-governance structures imposed on them.”

Labour has kept the divisive co-governance structure which is “undemocratic and will not lead to better water services”.

“We must remember there has been a Government culture of wasting money and now we see another rebrand of the programme and 10 chief executives and entities to fund — more bureaucratic spending that does not serve our communities well.

“National will restore council ownership and control, but with stronger central government oversight, including strict rules for water quality and for investment in infrastructure, so Kiwis don’t have to worry about sewage on their streets, unswimmable beaches, or having to boil their drinking water.

“National will require councils to ring-fence money for water infrastructure, instead of spending it on other services, and ensure water services are financially sustainable so future generations don’t inherit outdated or failing infrastructure.

“Kiwis face a clear choice this election — Labour’s broken Three Waters or National’s Local Water Done Well.”

National Party spokesman on water Scott Simpson will be in Gisborne next week to discuss water issues with Mayor Rehette Stoltz.

A public meeting will be held on Wednesday at 1.30pm at The Forces Cafe.