My position around Ruataniwha has been consistent. We need to ensure our precious waterways and environment are protected; we need to ensure the process is robust, and we need to ensure the business case stacks up.
New Zealand's 78 local and territorial authorities currently own and operate almost as much essential infrastructure by value as central government. Local government has an aggregate annual income of almost $8 billion, most of which comes from rates.
Debt has risen significantly since 2008, reaching over $10 billion in 2013.
Local government is a major and vital player in the running of this country and, when we consider major local authority expenditure and investment on the scale of Ruataniwha, we owe it to ratepayers to ensure all the boxes are ticked.
We are over five years into this project, the council has already spent about $15-$18 million of ratepayers' money on the development, and we have seen major investors Trustpower and Ngai Tahu walk away, widespread concern about water pricing, court cases and ever-changing deadlines to line up the finances.
Entire lobby groups have been formed and local government politicians have mounted campaigns based on their serious concerns around Ruataniwha and a lack of transparency from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council.
In what amounts to a fire-sale, Napier leasehold land cash-flows for the next 50 years have been sold by Hawke's Bay Regional Council to ACC to fund the Ruataniwha Dam if it goes ahead.
We have also seen vital information kept from ratepayers.
Most recently, in a secret, closed-door meeting the Central Hawke's Bay Council made the decision to abandon their present free water supply and buy water from the Ruataniwha Dam. The Council has been told that a full uptake of water from Ruataniwha will add to the rates bill. At present, the central Hawke's Bay towns draw their water free from the Tukituki River.
This is a ratepayer subsidy for a scheme the council claims will improve the river's environment, yet ignores the fact that Ruataniwha will also have a huge environmental impact on the Tukituki.
Taking a prudent approach to this massive investment of ratepayer money is about exercising due diligence.
At the very least, that's what ratepayers deserve - not unhelpful attacks and political games like the kind Mr Foss engaged in last week.
I am not, and never will be opposed to investment that brings prosperity and jobs to our region, but I have a responsibility to my constituents to ensure our precious environment and the Tukituki will not be destroyed by this dam.
As Labour's local government spokesperson I want to see smarter local government: one that is more accountable, open and transparent, and where ratepayers have an ongoing and active role in the long-term vision of the region.
We have a way to go before we get there, but this is what local government should look like in New Zealand.
-Meka Whaitiri is the MP for Ikaroa-Rawhiti.
-Views expressed here are the writer's opinion and not the newspaper's. Email: editor@hbtoday.co.nz
