The government has totally misread the public opinion around Three Waters and if it does not stop and think about the consequences of its proposal, there is a huge risk of leaving a legacy of grievances around Three Waters for generations to come.
The Wairoa District Council has indicated a strong preference to pursue a Hawke's Bay Three Waters Regional Entity.
Based on current information, Wairoa has provisionally 'opted out' of the government's proposal, until more accurate, reliable and contextually appropriate information is made available to ensure elected members and the Wairoa community, including tangata whenua, have confidence in the benefits as proposed in the Government's reforms.
Key areas of concern were the assumptions that underpin the model used in the case for change where council believes its specific data has been overstated; lack of meaningful engagement with community, including local iwi and tangata whenua, the dilution and lack of local voice in representation and governance; and uncertainty in the arrangements for funding/transfer of assets, ownership and responsibilities.
The government is proposing to confiscate our ratepayers' assets and it is reassuring to finally see mobilisation from advocacy groups, opposition parties and members of the public.
Surely the government must see this ever-increasing groundswell as a strong resistance to its proposal.
The Wairoa District Council's financial position is better than many councils, but if we are mandated to opt into 'Entity C' our equity will be sucked away from Wairoa to the bigger centres and it will be gone forever.
The Three Waters process has been a shocker from the start. I am still mystified as to how the Three Waters steering group appointments were made as it seems to comprise only of people who are pro the Three Waters reform.
We then saw a lack of advocacy from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) on behalf of all its members, followed by a ridiculously low level of engagement from Central Government.
On August 6, Minister of Local Government Nanaia Mahuta gave me a commitment in a Zoom meeting that she would send officials to Wairoa so they could gain information to enable a better understanding of our local Three Waters position. Now, two months on, and we have not heard from anyone about a visit.
The Government has failed to ensure local communities have been, and continue to be, informed about their Three Waters Reform proposal.
The Wairoa District Council, like other councils around the country, have absorbed the costs of ensuring its affected communities are aware of the reforms proposal because we believe it is imperative our communities, including tangata whenua, are informed appropriately about the potential impacts of this Government's Three Waters proposal.
Surely our government needs to be only concentrating on Covid-19 recovery, vaccinating our population and safely bringing our people home to New Zealand rather than Three Waters, Local Government, Health and RMA reforms.
These centralised approaches, like the Three Waters entities, will destroy heartland New Zealand. We will lose localism as we know it, what is next? Councils losing roading and then regulatory services?
It seems ironic that the government wants to take localism away. The difference between localism and centralisation is that localism sees elected members chosen by communities to speak on their behalf, whereas in a centralised government, MPs have to align with their party's views and toe the party line.
Surely our local MPs don't agree with the Three Waters proposal? But we haven't seen any feedback from them so how would we know. I urge you to talk to your local MPs about the Three Waters proposal and see how you get on.
• Craig Little is Wairoa Mayor
