Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick is taking time to consider signing a letter to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern calling for a face-to-face meeting over the controversial Three Waters reform.
The letter stems from a Zoom meeting of New Zealand mayors last week in which local government's next steps regarding the reformwere discussed.
It follows Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta's recent announcement that participation in the reform would be mandatory for councils. The reform would see control of fresh, storm and wastewater assets shift from local councils to four new regional entities by July 2024.
Chadwick told the Rotorua Daily Post she took part in the virtual meeting in which the mayors collectively agreed to work through Local Government New Zealand regarding the reform. The drafting of the letter followed.
"I haven't signed it at this point in time - we haven't had the opportunity to discuss the latest regarding the reforms and consider if our council's preliminary position, which was sent as feedback to the current proposal, has changed," Chadwick said.
Chadwick said she won't take a position on behalf of the council until she discusses the matter with the other elected members.
"They should all have a say," she said.
Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Chadwick said she felt it was pertinent to see what the views around the table were, whether they have changed, whether there were any issues arising the council might want to feed into the working party, and to "determine together if I should sign the letter on behalf of our council".
That discussion was expected to be placed in the agenda for a meeting.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown also attended the meeting and signed the letter. His council was considering a potential legal challenge to the mandate decision, which he described in a council meeting this week as "disgusting" and not democratic.
Brown said he and his community had believed they would be given the option to consult and choose whether to opt in or out of the reform but "we can't do that now".
The letter was drafted by Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon and stated disappointment in the process and requested the meeting to discuss the mandatory side of the reform.
Brown's concerns were echoed in a Western Bay of Plenty District Council meeting on Thursday when elected members voted to write and send their own letter to Ardern and Mahuta.
Western Bay mayor Garry Webber did not take part in the Zoom meeting but expressed concern at the reform and its impact on his council and community. Eleven of the council's 12 elected members, including Webber, supported the motion to write and send the letter expressing their dismay at the mandate decision.
Only councillor Mark Dean opposed, saying somebody had to make a stand to instigate change, which was needed.
The four regional entities expected to take over management of local water infrastructure. Image / Supplied
Mahuta told the Rotorua Daily Post that the Three Waters issue was "tough" but New Zealand was in a "tight spot" and the reform was the best solution for all.
She said she anticipated some elected members would have a good understanding of the need for the reform while others would be eyeing next year's local government elections and making a lot of noise.
"I'm not sure many elected members see this as a vote winner and this is painting a very stark picture to ratepayers about what we really have to fund."
Mahuta said "everything" regarding Three Waters was publically available on the Department of Internal Affairs' website. While she acknowledged it was "dense information", she expected elected members to have used it.
"As an elected representative, I take it upon myself to know and understand the information that I'm putting out in the public arena because that's my duty. My expectation on other elected members is no more or less."
Mahuta said if ratepayers knew the extent of systemic underinvestment in water infrastructure, "they would be pretty worried about it".
"Change is always scary but I do believe it will be the best way forward because we are looking for a financially sustainable pathway to get our water infrastructure up to spec," Mahuta said.
