South Wairarapa Mayor Alex Beijen presenting to the government's Finance and Expenditure Committee. Photo: Supplied
South Wairarapa District Council has asked the government to delay the Water Services Entities Bill "until better consultation is undertaken".
Mayor Alex Beijen presented the councillors' submission to the government's Finance and Expenditure Committee last week, and came out swinging about the process.
"I'm here by myself," he began.
"My staff are busy trying to respond to a request for information from the Department of Internal Affairs regarding Three Waters."
Local councils were required to consult on any significant decision under the Local Government Act, "yet central government have not done this themselves", Beijen said.
"Indeed, I will state that no consultation has occurred, merely engagement," he said.
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He compared the Three Waters Reform engagement to being asked about the colour and accessories of an already designed car, "not whether we need a car or a ute".
"You need to go back and consult with councils and the public before voting on this Bill."
He and many other mayors had examined many models for water infrastructure reform, "and Scottish Water [which has influenced New Zealand's reforms] continues to appear to be the worst example to follow", he said.
"Tasmania Water, where the government bought a shareholding in an aggregated water entity owned by councils and co-funds investment, stands out as a logical option.
"But it has been ignored."
There was a "fundamental problem" with presenting this first Bill to Parliament because it set the path for additional legislation to follow, Beijen said.
"How can we submit on this legislation when the details of subsequent follow-on legislation have yet to be discussed, engaged on, or clarified?"
Ownership, asset clarification, economic regulation, the cost to public based on accurate information, and billing needed to be clarified before the Bill went any further, Beijen said.
Regarding South Wairarapa District Council's water infrastructure, he said central government limited the borrowing ability of councils, "thus creating an impossible situation to comply with the new standards for water".
"Before you see council as the culprit, consider these points … a compliant system that overnight becomes non-compliant due to legislation is not a failure to invest … You won't let us invest what we need to."
Beijen finished the presentation by concluding that "rushed legislation is bad legislation".
"During the last three years, I have repeatedly heard the phrase: "we are building this plane while flying it", from the DIA [Department of Internal Affairs], the minister, and Taumata Arowai.
"So we call on you to delay this bill until better consultation is undertaken and the surety of the appropriateness of this Bill is determined."
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