A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
Opinion
I see some councils are concerned that 3 Waters will be repealed. They’re worried that the idea of clean water will disappear if we ever get a National-led coalition of chaos.
Prejudice will win out over practicality because Māori have sat at the table for some years. There was never an
intention that Māori take ownership.
The same councils so strongly against 3 Waters are those that forgot about years of neglect from underinvestment and the huge price tag. I think theirs was an ideological stance brought on by their National Party loyalty. They certainly forgot to put people and the need of having clean water first.
#nact have always said that the burden of providing clean water will fall back on the councils, but too many ignored this simple fact. They fell behind the co-governance tour, the govt bashing and the prejudicial rhetoric.
#nact have said they will save money and what better way than to get rid of the burden and price tag of safe, clean water. They will repeal 3 Waters. Councils will be forced into long-term loans, rates will rise and assets will be sold. The co-governance contracts will instead be with price-gouging private providers.
We need to be careful of what we wish for.
Mary-Ann de Kort
