Waikato leaders vow to fight ‘draconian’ reforms

Waikato leaders have lashed the Government’s decision to push ahead with its reform of the country’s water services, with one mayor likening it to the Crown’s predatory land grabs of the 1860s.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta confirmed yesterday the Government will create four new entities to take on the water services – drinking, waste and storm water – owned by councils.

A working group of iwi, local government and water industry experts will be established to determine how the mega entities will be governed. Mahuta said the case in favour of three waters reform is strong, with $185 billion needed to fix, maintain and upgrade services over the next three decades.

‘‘Three waters is one of the issues that has languished for far too long,’’ she said. But the Government’s call to make the reforms mandatory has been met with dismay from Waikato leaders who say Mahuta has ignored councils and communities’ misgivings with the radical overhaul.

Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest said the Government’s decision to not allow councils to opt out of the reform is ‘‘hugely disappointing’’.

Having council water assets controlled by four large entities erodes communities’ independence and represents a further shift towards centralisation.

‘‘To have more and more of our functions stripped away from local government . . . in the belief that bigger is more efficient, I just don’t accept that at all,’’ Mylchreest said. ‘‘I have to say this is the biggest asset grab since the 1860s in my view.’’

The National Party have vowed to repeal the water entity model if it forms the next government.

Hamilton-based National MP David Bennett said the Government’s call to make the waters reform mandatory went against the views of local government leaders and their communities.

Bennett also took aim at the Hamilton City Council, saying it could have been more forthright in expressing its concerns to Mahuta.

‘‘They [city council] tried to negotiate with the Government, and they were never going to negotiate. It would have been better for the city council to have protected its assets. Now $1.5b worth of council assets are gone,’’ Bennett said.

Hamilton mayor Paula Southgate said elected members will meet next week to discuss the reforms. The city council has already expressed its opposition to the Government’s proposed asset ownership model.

‘‘I reject any notion that we have been weak on this,’’ Southgate said. ‘‘I’m required by council to work with the process, and I will continue to work with the process, but I won’t be a soft touch. What I will do is fight for the best deal for Hamilton.’’

Deputy mayor Geoff Taylor was part of a group of six city councillors who unsuccessfully backed a council motion in September calling on the Government to halt its reform. Taylor said some form of water services reform is required but believes the Government was wrong not to consider alternative models of ownership and governance. It’s up to ‘‘people power’’ to reverse the Government’s reform agenda.

‘‘The battle lines are drawn now. It’s time for petitions, marches, all those types of things. I think it’s really insulting to just ignore public sentiment. To slip this [decision] through when we’ve got all this stuff happening with Covid, it’s outrageous.’’

City councillor Rob Pascoe said the council did provide the Government with significant feedback on the reform – most of which was ignored.

‘‘In my view, we should stop the talking now and tell the Government that unless they deliver what we want, then we’re not interested, and we don’t want to participate,’’ Pascoe said.

The Government has promised that councils will retain ownership of water services through the mega entities. Iwi representatives will be at the table of each water entity. Mahuta said there would be 50-50 split on the water entities’ boards between council and iwi.

Waikato Regional Council chairman Russ Rimmington said Mahuta’s announcement represents a ‘‘sad day for local government’’.

‘‘They’ve just gone about things in such a draconian way. This past year has been a waste of time and money.’’