11 March 2022
PRESS RELEASE
Grey District Council Continues to Oppose Governments Three Waters Reform
Mayor Tania Gibson said, “we continue to support Communities 4 Local Democracy (C4LD) in opposing the Governments current Three Waters Reforms proposal. The report from the government working group is what we were expecting with the constraints of the terms of reference they had to work under."
"The changes that have been put to the Minister are weak and do nothing to change our concerns that these reforms erode localism, ownership, accountability and is still a blatant confiscation of assets without compensation. The proposed share structure proposal is designed to safeguard against privatisation but as we have seen with the current parliamentary makeup a government with a majority can do anything it wants."
"If allowed to go ahead the reforms will weaken our democratic ideals and remove from the people of New Zealand the ability, they have to control what happens with the very assets they have paid for.” she said.
Mayor Gibson went onto say “The ability to consult with you was removed by the Minister last year and our ability to participate meaningfully and be fully consulted on this reform has been removed.”
“We have seen implementation of government policies over the last few years fail miserably and we have already seen vast amounts of wasteful spending already by the Government to get this reform to the stage it is now.”
After meeting most Central Government parties C4LD are of the understanding that they are generally opposed to the current proposals and say they would consider reversing them if in Government.
C4LD now consist of 32 councils from around the country who are opposed to the current reforms.
“Is it not time that the Government started to listen and stop steam rolling policies through that our communities do not want? We, as are the Government, are voted in by you and we have listened that you do not want this, and we will continue to oppose and work together in your best interests.” Mayor Gibson said.
Mayor Gibson continued “Perhaps the statement, which you can read here, from Dr Jason Smith Mayor of Kaipara District, Chair of Northland Mayoral Forum, Member Council of Communities 4 Local Democracy (C4LD), Member of the Three Waters Working Group on Representation, Governance and Accountability best sums it up. “I to believe these Three Water Reforms are the wrong answer to the right question” and like Mayor Jason Smith it a “yeah, nah” from me on behalf of the Grey District Council and the communities we represent.”
ENDS
Website: www.greydc.govt.nz/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GreyDC
Contact:
Grey District Council
03 769 8600
