Tauranga City Council is preparing a submission to go to government on the first water reform bill and is looking for feedback from the community.
The Government-led water reform is currently going through parliament and public submissions are now open for the Water Services Entities Bill.
This is the first of a series of legislation that will begin to confirm the law behind the reform.
The Bill focuses on the establishment of water service entities; how they will be owned, and who will have influence and oversight.
The submission speaks to five key issues which have been identified as a result of community feedback received in September 2021.
Tauranga City Council commission chair Anne Tolley says it's important to share the draft submission with the community, to check that it addresses any key concerns.
'We are asking for feedback on our submission so that we can confirm we are covering the right issues when we speak to government about reform.
'We acknowledge that there is a lot of community feeling around water reform. Our position is that we continue to work with government so that we can influence decision-making around this mandated reform.”
Anne Tolley. Photo: Giles Dexter/RNZ.
The short survey asks participants if they agree or disagree with the following key points of the Tauranga City Council submission:
- The governance structure does not adequately provide for a local voice in decision-making
- We support the changes that add protection from privatisation
- Concerns about how growth and development needs will be met
- Concerns regarding the impact on our valued workforce
- More community understanding needed.
The Tauranga City Council submission also supports the government initiative to improve the Māori voice, and further feedback will be included from Te Rangapū Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana (the representative group for our iwi and hapū in the Tauranga City Council area).
In order to meet the government timeframe for submissions, which close on Friday, July 22, the survey will close on Wednesday, July 13.
To read the bill, Tauranga City Council's submission and complete the survey, click here.
Individuals and organisations can also make a submission direct to parliament on the Water Services Entity Bill by visiting www.parliament.nz.
The closing date for all submissions is Friday, July 22.
3 comments
Now lets get Real !
Posted on 03-07-2022 09:53 | By The Caveman
The Tauranga CC is currently run, for all intents and purposes, by the Labour Government who appointed the so called Commissioners. Consultation with the residents!!! Who is kidding who – do the residents really think that the Labour government appointed commissioners will take any notice of what the residents say and the commissioners tell their bosses (the Labour government) that the residents don’t want Three Waters ???? NO ! ! !
Another survey tailored to suit
Posted on 03-07-2022 14:46 | By Kancho
Once again a survey written to get required response and work round the elephant in the room. We have a modern water and wastewater treatment plant to international standards. Government imposed bureacracy and central control is another matter with Five years shown no ability in any area of housing , poverty, health, the economy etc. The governance model is supported by the Labour commissioners so is avoided. That Maori appoint fifty percent of governance and have in effect control by veto of any proposals and worse have the ability to impose levies for water to fund iwi is wrong. No one owns water so no charge. We have paid and continue to pay for water treatment and reticulation with local control. The government will confiscate or assets and control under wrongfully and with no democracy. Vote them out .
Huge conflict of interest
Posted on 03-07-2022 15:51 | By Johnney
We don’t have a council so we don’t have a ratepayers voice. Ban any comments from Labour elected commissioners. Let’s have a referendum, not submissions or surveys.
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