Thursday, 18 August 2022
OpinionSportBusinessRuralLifestyleDriven Motoring
Residential Property Listings
PhotosClassifiedsVideoWhanganui Midweek
DannevirkePalmerston NorthWhanganuiLevin
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Whanganui Chronicle

South Taranaki District Council steps up fight against Three Waters, donates $15K to campaign

14 Dec, 2021 04:00 PM3 minutes to read
South Taranaki District Council on Monday voted to join a list of councils opposing the government's Three Waters reforms. Photo / NZME

South Taranaki District Council on Monday voted to join a list of councils opposing the government's Three Waters reforms. Photo / NZME

Ethan Griffiths
By
Ethan Griffiths

Multimedia journalist

VIEW PROFILE

South Taranaki District Council is to contribute $15,000 of ratepayer money towards a campaign with 22 other councils opposing the Three Waters reforms.

The council met on Monday night to discuss their approach to the reforms, which would see all three water entities - wastewater, drinking water and stormwater - amalgamated into four regional entities.

At that meeting, councillors voted unanimously in support of signing a Memorandum of Understanding with partner councils opposing the reforms.

Part of that agreement will see the council stump up $15,000 as a contribution to the campaign.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"While we accepted that things needed some change, what really upset us and many of our ratepayers was the government's decision to force councils to be part of the Three Waters Reform without any consultation," Mayor Phil Nixon said in a statement.

South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon has been critical of the Three Waters plan since it was announced last year. Photo / NZME
South Taranaki Mayor Phil Nixon has been critical of the Three Waters plan since it was announced last year. Photo / NZME

"We were consistently told by the government that there would be an opportunity for full public consultation on this hugely important matter. But now, and after the majority of councils asked the Government to pause and rethink, they ignored us and took decision making completely out of our hands. It's wrong and it's anti-democratic."

Nixon has previously been critical of the reforms, telling the Chronicle in September the idea of amalgamating water assets was "unnecessary bureaucracy."

The council questioned the accuracy of the government's figures around the benefits of the reforms, and said ratepayers would quickly lose any say in the future of the assets if the plan was implemented.

Nixon said on Tuesday that in his time as a local politician, he has never seen the public so angry over one issue.

"Given the government hasn't provided opportunities for genuine participation in Three Waters reform, we think it's entirely appropriate for our council to use all means at our disposal for representing the residents of South Taranaki and giving them a voice."

Related articles

New Zealand

South Taranaki water restrictions 'likely' - council

02 Dec 03:00 AM

Top Towns: Whanganui just 325 doses away from 90 per cent

10 Dec 03:00 AM

Top Towns: How does Whanganui rank?

06 Dec 03:30 AM
New Zealand

Whanganui's first day of Covid traffic light system

03 Dec 12:30 AM

The Government has delayed the next stage of its Three Waters reforms until next year.

When Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta announced the plan in October, the legislation creating the new entities was set to be introduced to Parliament by the end of the year, but the Government was forced to concede last week it would be delayed.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Whanganui Chronicle

Whanganui Chronicle

Nga Tawa fashion students win big

17 Aug 05:00 PM
Premium
Whanganui Chronicle

Letters: Council stint made me part of the conversation

17 Aug 05:00 PM
Premium
Whanganui Chronicle

Pets set to be allowed in Whanganui pensioner housing

17 Aug 05:00 PM
Premium
Whanganui Chronicle

Local car dealers say they have seen demand for new vehicles wane

17 Aug 05:00 PM
Whanganui Chronicle

Warm, wet and windy weather expected

17 Aug 02:30 AM

Most Popular

Premium
Whitebaiting season drops from 15 weeks to nine, concerns spots could be crowded
Whanganui Chronicle

Whitebaiting season drops from 15 weeks to nine, concerns spots could be crowded

15 Aug 05:00 PM
Tariana Turia's grandson attempted to rob service station
Whanganui Chronicle

Tariana Turia's grandson attempted to rob service station

11 Aug 05:00 PM
Premium
'It's like a grater on raw wounds': Mum, 35, says mesh implant cripples her
Whanganui Chronicle

'It's like a grater on raw wounds': Mum, 35, says mesh implant cripples her

09 Aug 05:00 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to Whanganui ChronicleHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionWhanganui Chronicle E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP