Everyone has the right to safe drinking water no matter where they live and should expect strong and resilient stormwater and sewage services that protect the environment and enable communities to prosper and grow. We agree.
Where we differ from the Government, is on the how.
For more than three years, Councils in Hawke's Bay have been ahead of the game. We knew change was needed, so we worked together to come up with a regional three waters model that would address the affordability issue for all of Hawke's Bay and keep decision-making, operational control, service, and accountability in the Bay. Not only that, and perhaps more importantly, our model would support regional economic, social and environmental priorities, and satisfy community expectations.
Since Government announced its reform proposals, we have been strongly advocating for the Hawke's Bay alternative. We believed that we had done the mahi to put forward a credible alternative to Government's mega entity model - one that would work better for our communities and our region.
But the Government has steadfastly refused to consider a Hawke's Bay model and the legislation is now before parliament to make Government's mega-region system a reality.
There are many reasons why as Councils we don't like what the Government is proposing; the most worrying of which is losing local decision making and ownership for critical three waters assets and services affecting our urban and rural communities.
And we are hearing loud and clear that our communities don't like that prospect either. People across our towns and cities are telling us that they share our views. However, this Government enjoys a clear Parliamentary majority, and this three waters reform is an example of democracy in action.
There are two pieces of legislation to bring the changes into law. The first, the Water Services Entities Bill introduced last week, enables the new super-entities to be established. The second, expected to be introduced in the next few months, will enact how the entities will operate.
It's up to the whole of Parliament to decide whether the changes become law or not. As part of that process, they will be calling on New Zealanders for their views. If these changes go ahead, they will affect everyone, no matter whether you are a resident, a household, an iwi organisation, or a business.
We as your regional leaders, and your councils, have already had our say. It's now time for you, the people of Hawke's Bay to have a voice on what you think should be the future of three waters services in our region.
That means you need to know what's proposed, what the changes will mean for you and how you can have your say as Parliament considers its decisions.
You will no doubt have questions, like who will make decisions about my three waters services? How much will I pay? And how can I have a say before Parliament decides?
That's why later this week we are launching a public information campaign so our communities know that change is coming, and an information website so you can find out everything you need to know and how to make a submission to Parliament.
We'll be having our say via a regional submission, but it is really important that Parliament hears from you, the people of Hawke's Bay too.
This Talking Point was written by Craig Little (Wairoa), Kirsten Wise (Napier), Sandra Hazlehurst (Hastings) and Alex Walker (Central Hawke's Bay).
