Three Waters Reform Programme
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The Water Services Reform Programme (formerly known as Three Waters) is a public infrastructure restructuring programme launched by the Sixth Labour Government to centralise the management of water supply and sanitation in New Zealand. It originally proposed shifting control of stormwater,
drinking water Drinking water is water that is used in drink or food preparation; potable water is water that is safe to be used as drinking water. The amount of drinking water required to maintain good health varies, and depends on physical activity level, a ...
and
wastewater Wastewater is water generated after the use of freshwater, raw water, drinking water or saline water in a variety of deliberate applications or processes. Another definition of wastewater is "Used water from any combination of domestic, industrial ...
management from the country's 67 local councils to several new publicly-owned regional entities by July 2024. Details of the proposed reforms were announced in October 2021. The Three Waters reforms were criticised by several mayors and the opposition
National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
and ACT parties. From November 2021, a working group of mayors and
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
representatives reviewed issues of representation, governance and accountability, and reported back in March 2022 with 47 recommendations. In April 2022, the government accepted 44 of the recommendations. Key changes to the original proposals included providing non-financial shareholdings for councils in the four new water entities, and increased legislative protection against future privatisation of the water assets. Regional representative groups would be established as part of the governance structure, with equal representation of council and
tangata whenua In New Zealand, tangata whenua () is a Māori term that literally means "people of the land". It can refer to either a specific group of people with historical claims to a district, or more broadly the Māori people as a whole. Etymology Accordi ...
. These representative groups would appoint the members of the boards of the four water entities, based on skill and competence. In April 2023, the Government announced a major overhaul of the Three Waters programme, renaming it the Water Services Reform Programme. The proposed four water services entities were expanded into ten entities. These entities will still retain the split governance structure consisting of both local council and mana whenua representatives.


History


Three Waters Review

In mid 2017, the Fifth National Government launched a review of the regulation and supply arrangements of drinking water, wastewater and stormwater (three waters). This review ran in parallel with the later stages of the Inquiry into the Havelock North drinking water contamination of 2016. The Three Waters Review was published in January 2019. In 2019, the Sixth Labour Government announced plans for regulatory changes in response to the Three Waters Review, including: * establish a new, dedicated drinking water regulator * extend regulatory coverage to all drinking water suppliers, except individual household self-suppliers * provide a multi-barrier approach to drinking water treatment and safety * strengthen government oversight and stewardship of wastewater and stormwater services * provide transitional arrangements of up to five years to allow water suppliers to adjust to the regulations.


Water services legislation

The Taumata Arowai–the Water Services Regulator Bill was introduced to Parliament on 12 December 2019. The Government indicated a separate Water Services bill would be proposed at a later date to give effect to decisions to implement system-wide reforms to the regulation of drinking water and source water, and targeted reforms to improve the regulation and performance of wastewater and stormwater networks.


Mahuta's reform proposals

On 28 January 2020,
Nanaia Mahuta Nanaia Cybele Mahuta (born 21 August 1970) is a New Zealand politician who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hauraki-Waikato and serving as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Sixth Labour Government since 2020. She is also the Minister o ...
, the Minister of Local Government, released Cabinet papers and minutes setting out intentions for reform of service delivery and funding arrangements for the three waters services nationwide. The Cabinet paper referred to two key challenges facing New Zealand's three waters service delivery: affordability and capability. The paper referred to the cumulative effect of increasing capital and operating costs to meet infrastructure challenges, and constrained sector capability to address key public health and environmental challenges. It noted that these challenges are particularly acute for smaller council and non-council drinking water suppliers, with smaller ratepayer and consumer funding bases. The paper described the current situation (in most regions), where individual councils supply and manage water systems and services alongside their other duties. There was specific reference to
Wellington Water Wellington Water Limited is an infrastructure asset management company that manages the drinking water, wastewater and stormwater services of the councils in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Ownership and governance The company was fir ...
(which manages the water assets of six councils) as an example of one approach to service delivery that had successfully built capability through the scale of operations. However, the paper also noted that Wellington Water currently has no ability to make trade-offs between operating and capital expenditure, nor can it cross-subsidise between owners or ratepayers in different districts. A transition is envisaged to a next stage where water services are fully 'ring-fenced' from other council services, with charges for ratepayers specifically identifying the water services in their rates. At this stage, councils may share service provision with other councils. The final stage envisaged in the paper is the full transfer of ownership of the water assets to a new entity governed by an independent board of directors, and with specialist employees who would focus on water services. The Government indicated that it would work in partnership with local government to explore options for transitioning councils to new service delivery arrangements, seeking safer, more affordable and reliable three waters services. The first step was to support the investigation of opportunities within regions for collaborative approaches to water service delivery.


Initial plans for implementation


Hawke's Bay investigation

As an initial step towards implementing the proposed reforms, on 27 January 2020 the Government announced funding of $1.55m for an investigation of opportunities for greater coordination in three waters service delivery across the
Hawke's Bay region Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region is ...
, involving five councils: Napier City Council, Hastings District Council,
Central Hawke's Bay District Council Central Hawke's Bay District Council is the territorial authority for the Central Hawke's Bay District of New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmas ...
, Wairoa District Council and
Hawke's Bay Regional Council Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...
.


Otago and Southland investigation

In May 2020, ten councils in the Otago and Southland regions commenced the development of a business case for a collaborative approach to managing the three waters assets. The business case was expected to take about eight months and would be followed by public consultation. The Government agreed to cover half of the cost, with a deadline for councils to consider changes to service delivery models by the end of 2021. The ten councils involved in the investigation were
Dunedin City Council The Dunedin City Council ( mi, Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Ōtepoti) is the local government authority for Dunedin in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Dunedin. Since October 2022, the Mayor of Dunedin is Jul ...
,
Central Otago District Council Central Otago District Council is the territorial authority for the Central Otago District of New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the No ...
, Clutha District Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council,
Waitaki District Council Waitaki District Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Waitaki) is the territorial authority for the Waitaki District of New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two ...
,
Otago Regional Council Otago Regional Council (ORC) is the regional council for Otago in the South Island of New Zealand. The council's principal office is Regional House on Stafford Street in Dunedin with 250-275 staff, with smaller offices in Queenstown and Alexand ...
,
Gore District Council Gore District Council is the territorial authority for the Gore District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Gore, who is currently . There are also eight ward councillors and three councillors elected at large. Composition Co ...
,
Invercargill City Council Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of ...
,
Southland District Council Southland District Council is the territorial authority for the Southland District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Southland The mayor of Southland is the head of the municipal government of Southland District, New Zealand. ...
and
Environment Southland The Southland Regional Council is the southernmost Regions of New Zealand, regional council in New Zealand, administering the Southland Region, including Stewart Island. In 2006, it had an operating revenue of NZ$19.6 million, NZ$7.1 million of t ...
.


Advertising campaign

In late June 2021, the New Zealand Government launched a NZ$3.5 million multimedia advertising campaign called "Better Water is Better for Everyone" to promote its Three Waters reform programme. The advertising campaign was criticised by several mayors and local body councillors and officials including Mayor of
Waimate Waimate is a town in Canterbury, New Zealand and the seat of Waimate District. It is situated just inland from the eastern coast of the South Island. The town is reached via a short detour west when travelling on State Highway One, the main No ...
Craig Rowley, Mayor of Waitaki Gary Kircher,
Tasman District Council Tasman District Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera o te tai o Aorere) is the unitary local authority for the Tasman District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Tasman, who is currently . Tasman elects its 13 councillors from five differ ...
engineering services manager Richard Kirby, Councillors Kit Maling, David Ogilvie for alleged sensationalism, inaccuracies, and for portraying local councils' management of water resources in a negative light. In response, the Department of Internal Affairs reaffirmed the Government's commitment to working with local councils on the Three Waters reform programme. In addition, $500,000 was set aside by the Government for the development, maintenance, and hosting of the Three Waters reform programme's website. By October 2021, the Advertising Standards Authority had received a total of 48 complaints about the Three Waters reform programme. The watchdog ruled that the advertisements were neither misleading or offensive in the context of advocacy advertising.


Launch of nationwide programme

On 27 October 2021, Mahuta unveiled the Government's Three Waters reform programme. The plan involves the mandatory transfer of the management of stormwater, drinking water and wastewater from the country's 67 local councils and territorial bodies to four new water entities, with the goal of improving the quality and lowering the cost of water utilities. The Government planned to start creating these four new entities in late 2021, and they would assume control of water utilities in July 2024. Though the Government had initially stated that the Three Waters programme would be optional for local government bodies, they subsequently decided to mandate in July 2021. During the announcement, Mahuta also created a working group to advise the Government on how the four water entities' governance would work. According to Mahuta, the group's findings would be placed into a supplementary order paper (SOP) to amend legislation creating the new entities that would manage the three waters systems. Despite its unpopularity with local councils and the public, the Government persisted with the Three Waters reform programme. On 9 December 2021, the Government postponed until 2022, the introduction of legislation creating the new entities that would manage the Three Waters systems. The Government confirmed that it would wait until the working group had finished their findings, before introducing the new legislation. In mid-December, Mahuta argued that the Three Waters reform should proceed, despite opposition from several local governments, due to the under-investment in the country's water infrastructure. Mahuta also urged party leaders to prevent the privatisation of New Zealand's water assets, entrenching a safeguard requiring a supermajority of 75% of MP's support before a water asset could be sold.


Review by working group

A working group of mayors and Māori representatives was formed in November 2021, to review the planned reform programme, focussing on improvements in the three most contentious aspects of the original proposal: representation, governance and accountability. The working group reported back in March 2022, with 47 recommendations. On 29 April 2022, Mahuta announced that the Government had accepted 44 of the recommendations, with three that needed some further work. One of the key changes was that councils would be given non-financial shareholdings in the new water entities, with one share per 50,000 of population, and that there would be additional legislative protection against future privatisation. Co-governance will be established in regional representative groups, where there will be an equal number of seats for
mana whenua In New Zealand, tangata whenua () is a Māori term that literally means "people of the land". It can refer to either a specific group of people with historical claims to a district, or more broadly the Māori people as a whole. Etymology Accordi ...
and councils. These regional oversight groups will appoint the members of the boards of the four water entities, based on skill and competence. The regional representative groups will have a role in setting strategic direction, but will not be involved in operational matters.


Legislative entrenchment

On 2 June 2022, Mahuta introduced the Water Services Entities Bill as the first of several new bills to entrench the three water reforms in law. The Water Services Entities Bill would establish the four regional water services entities which would take over management of water infrastructure from the 67 local councils. Under the proposed law, councils would retain ownership of their water assets through a "community share" arrangement but effective control would pass to the four new water services entities, which would have both community and Māori iwi/tribal representation. Mahuta also claimed that there would be safeguards against privatisation. Mahuta also confirmed that further legislation would be introduced to facilitate the transfer of assets and liabilities from local authorities to the Water Services Entities, integrate entities into other regulatory systems, and to cover economic regulation of the water services entities and ensure consumer protection. A National Transition Unit would oversee the establishment of the new water services entities over the next two years. On 23 November 2022, the Labour Government decided to push the Water Services Entities Bill under urgency to compensate for the loss of a week's worth of parliamentary sitting time caused by
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Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
's death on 9 September 2022. The Bill passed its third and final reading on 7 December. Labour was able to pass the Bill without the support of other parties due to its majority status in the House, an unprecedented occurrence in New Zealand since MMP came into force. While
National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
and ACT parties opposed the Bill due to their opposition to co-governance and centralisation, the
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and Māori parties opposed the Bill on the grounds that it lacked sufficient anti-privatisation safeguards and failed to promote co-governance. Following the passage of the Water Services Entities Act 2022, Mahuta introduced two bills to further entrench the Three Waters reform programme: the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill and the Water Services Legislation Bill, which passed their first readings on 13 December 2022. The Water Services Legislation Bill included 130 pages of amendments to the Water Services Entities Act. The new legislation includes provisions for charging for water services, institutes a system of fines for breaching water restrictions and disconnecting from stormwater systems, facilitate information-sharing between the water entities and councils, facilitates cooperation between the water services entities and
mana whenua In New Zealand, tangata whenua () is a Māori term that literally means "people of the land". It can refer to either a specific group of people with historical claims to a district, or more broadly the Māori people as a whole. Etymology Accordi ...
, clarifies the ownership of stormwater systems beneath roads, and outlines what rights the water services entities when working on different kinds of land including roads, railways, and
marae A ' (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan), ' (in Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the term a ...
.


Funding

On 19 July 2022, the Government announced that it would give the 67 local councils a total of NZ$44 million to help them transition to the new Three Waters system. The Government had already allocated NZ$2.5 billion to compensate local councils for the reforms including infrastructure and other "wellbeing" investments. Associate Local Government Minister
Kieran McAnulty Kieran Michael McAnulty (born 31 January 1985) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. First elected to parliament in 2017, he is a minister outside Cabinet and the Member of Parliament for the Wairarapa electorate. Formerly the Chief Governm ...
stated that each local council would receive NZ$350,000 over the next 12 months. The opposition National and ACT parties' local government spokespersons Simon Watts and
Simon Court Simon Thomas Court is a New Zealand politician. He became a Member of Parliament in the New Zealand parliament at the 2020 general election as a representative of the ACT New Zealand party. Early life and career Court went to Auckland Grammar ...
described the funding as a "bribe" and a waster of taxpayer money.


2023 revamp

On 1 February 2023,
Kieran McAnulty Kieran Michael McAnulty (born 31 January 1985) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. First elected to parliament in 2017, he is a minister outside Cabinet and the Member of Parliament for the Wairarapa electorate. Formerly the Chief Governm ...
succeeded Mahuta as Minister of Local Government, which oversees the Three Waters reform programme. After succeeding
Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
as
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
in late January, the incoming
Chris Hipkins Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a member of the Sixth Labour Government's Cabinet as Minister of Education, Minister of Police, Minister for the Public Service and Leader of the ...
had announced a
cabinet reshuffle A cabinet reshuffle or shuffle occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet, or when the Head of State changes the head of government and a number of ministers. They are more common in parli ...
on 31 January 2023. Hipkins stated that the change was intended to allow Mahuta to focus on her foreign affairs portfolio but denied that it was motivated by controversy around the Three Waters programme. He also confirmed that the Labour Government would continue implementing the Three Waters reforms. On 8 February, Hipkins reiterated that the Government would continue with the Three Waters reforms, arguing that disasters such as the 2023 North Island floods demonstrated the limits of infrastructure and the need for reform. However, he stated that the Government would be considering whether some of the Three Waters changes would be fit for purpose. Hipkins confirmed that Cabinet had asked McAnulty to consult with local government, Māori and the public and report back on options for "refocusing the reforms." On 13 April 2023, the Government announced a major overhaul of the programme, renaming it the Water Services Reform Programme. The proposed four water services entities were expanded into ten entities. These entities be owned by local councils on behalf of the public, and their boundaries will be based on existing regional boundaries. Each entity will be run by a professional board, with members being appointed based on competency and skill. These boards will still retain the split governance structure consisting of both local council and mana whenua representatives. According to Local Government Minister McAnulty also announced that the entities are expected to start operating from 1 July 2026.


Reactions


Advocacy groups

The farming advocacy group Groundswell NZ has voiced opposition to the Three Waters programme, claiming that it was part of a "tsunami" of unworkable government regulations and alleging that it was the theft of the assets of council ratepayers. In December 2021, the group sponsored a petition calling for the Three Waters programme to be scrapped, which attracted 3,000 signatures by 15 December. In June 2022, the
New Zealand Taxpayers' Union The New Zealand Taxpayers' Union is a self-described taxpayer pressure group founded in 2013 to scrutinise government spending, publicise government waste, and promote an efficient tax system. It claims to be politically independent and not alig ...
and Groundswell organised a nationwide "roadshow" to rally opposition against the Three Waters reforms. They toured 36 cities and towns including
Christchurch Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon Rive ...
, Alexandra, and
Invercargill Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of t ...
.


Government departments and public servants

The New Zealand Infrastructure Commission published an opinion piece in May 2020 supporting the reform of service delivery in the three waters sector nationwide. The chief executive advocated consolidation of asset management and service delivery functions from multiple councils into much larger entities. The main benefits would be to capture economies of scale and free up councils from the specialist technical requirements of managing utility services. In late February 2023,
Te Whatu Ora Te Whatu Ora, or Health New Zealand, is a public health agency established by the New Zealand Government to replace the country's 20 district health boards (DHBs) on 1 July 2022. Te Whatu Ora is charged with working alongside the Public Healt ...
(Health New Zealand) chair
Rob Campbell Rob or ROB may refer to: Places * Rob, Velike Lašče, a settlement in Slovenia * Roberts International Airport (IATA code ROB), in Monrovia, Liberia People * Rob (given name), a given name or nickname, e.g., for Robert(o), Robin/Robyn * Rob ...
criticised National's proposal to scrap Three Waters in a
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post and accused Luxon of "dog whistling" on the issue of co-governance. Campbell's remarks were criticised by several National and ACT MPs including
Simeon Brown Simeon Peter Brown (born 8 April 1991) is a New Zealand politician and Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives for the National Party. Political career In his youth, Brown joined his local residents' association, the Clendon Resid ...
and David Seymour, who accused him of breaching the Public Service Commission's policy requiring the directors of
Crown entities A Crown entity (from the Commonwealth term ''Crown'') is an organisation that forms part of New Zealand's state sector established under the Crown Entities Act 2004, a unique umbrella governance and accountability statute. The Crown Entities Act ...
to remain politically impartial. Campbell defended his remarks, stating that they were made in his capacity as a private citizen and rejected suggestions that he had violated the Commission's political impartiality policy. On 27 February, Prime Minister
Chris Hipkins Christopher John Hipkins (born 5 September 1978) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician and a member of the Sixth Labour Government's Cabinet as Minister of Education, Minister of Police, Minister for the Public Service and Leader of the ...
criticised Campbell's Three Waters remarks as "inappropriate." On 28 February,
Health Minister A health minister is the member of a country's government typically responsible for protecting and promoting public health and providing welfare and other social security services. Some governments have separate ministers for mental health. Coun ...
Ayesha Verrall Ayesha Jennifer Verrall (; born 1979) is a New Zealand politician, infectious-diseases physician, and researcher with expertise in tuberculosis and international health. She is a Labour Party Member of the New Zealand Parliament and a Cabin ...
used her discretionary powers under section 36 of the
Crown Entities Act 2004 In New Zealand, the Crown Entities Act 2004 is a statute which provides the framework for the establishment, governance, and operation of Crown entities; and to clarify accountability relationships between Crown entities, their board members, ...
to relieve Campbell of his position as head of Te Whatu Ora. Though Campbell had apologised to Luxon and Verrall, the latter had demanded that he resign by 10:30 am on 28 February. Campbell had refused to resign and defended his right to criticise National's Three Waters policy. On 2 March, Environment Minister David Parker removed Campbell from his positions as chair and board member of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in response to Campbell's Three Waters remarks.


Local and regional councils


2021

In April 2021, the mayor of the small Hawke's Bay town of
Wairoa Wairoa is a town and territorial authority district in New Zealand's North Island. The town is the northernmost in the Hawke's Bay region, and is located on the northern shore of Hawke Bay at the mouth of the Wairoa River and to the west o ...
expressed concerns that the transfer of the three waters assets from local councils into large regional entities would have serious consequences for local government. In early September, Invercargill's deputy mayor Nobby Clark submitted a notice of motion that the Invercargill City Council advise the Government that it would not be making any decision on the Three Waters issue until it had consulted the local community. This notice of motion was supported by
Mayor of Invercargill The Mayor of Invercargill is the head of the municipal government of Invercargill, New Zealand, and leads the Invercargill City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system every three years. The current m ...
Tim Shadbolt Sir Timothy Richard Shadbolt (born 19 February 1947) is a New Zealand politician. He was the Mayor of Invercargill and previously Mayor of Waitemata City. Early life Shadbolt was born in the Auckland suburb of Remuera in 1947. His father died ...
. Clark's motion did not pass due to a six-to-six tie. On 9 September,
Mayor of Dunedin The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the local government, the city council of Dunedin, New Zealand. The Mayor's role is "to provide leadership to the other elected members of the territorial authority, be a leader in the community and perform c ...
Aaron Hawkins published an op-ed column in the '' Otago Daily Times'' expressing concerns about the Three Waters programme's financial benefits, local consultation and the lack of safeguards against privatisation. However, Hawkins also objected to some opponents' objections to Māori
iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori roughly means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, ...
(tribes) being involved in the decision-making process. In late October, the Government's decision to centralize water utilities and services was criticised by several local councils and mayors including
Mayor of Auckland The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland Region in New Zealand, which it controls as a unitary authority. The position exists since October 2010 after the amal ...
Phil Goff Philip Bruce Goff (born 22 June 1953) is a New Zealand politician. He was a member of the New Zealand Parliament from 1981 to 1990 and again from 1993 to 2016. He served as leader of the Labour Party and leader of the Opposition between 11 N ...
,
Mayor of Christchurch The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system. The current mayor, Ph ...
Lianne Dalziel Lianne Audrey Dalziel (; born 7 June 1960) is a New Zealand politician and former Mayor of Christchurch. Prior to this position, she was a member of the New Zealand Parliament for 23 years, serving as Minister of Immigration, Commerce, Minister ...
, Mayor of Hastings Sandra Hazlehurst, Mayor of the
Far North District The Far North District is the northernmost territorial authority district of New Zealand, consisting of the northern part of the Northland Peninsula in the North Island. It stretches from North Cape and Cape Reinga / Te Rerenga Wairua in th ...
John Carter, Mayor of Dunedin Hawkins, and
Mayor of Wellington The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of the City of Wellington. The mayor presides over the Wellington City Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representat ...
Andy Foster Andrew John Whitfield Foster (born 21 December 1961) is a New Zealand politician who served as Mayor of Wellington from 2019 to 2022. Foster served on the Wellington City Council for nine terms from 1992 until 2019. Biography Early life Foste ...
. In mid-November, the
Whangārei District Council Whangarei District is a territorial authority district in the Northland Region of New Zealand that is governed by the Whangarei District Council. The district is made up in area largely by rural land, and includes a fifth of the Northland Region ...
,
Timaru District Council Timaru District Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Te Tihi o Maru) is the territorial authority for the Timaru District of New Zealand. The council is led by the mayor of Timaru, who is currently . There are also nine councillors. Composition ...
and Waimakariri District Council launched legal proceedings in the Wellington High Court seeking a judgement about the meaning of council "ownership" of the three waters assets under the planned reforms. By 16 November, the Wairoa District Council and the Napier City Council passed motions to sign "memorandums of understanding" with "partner councils" to oppose the Three Waters reform model. ''
The New Zealand Herald ''The New Zealand Herald'' is a daily newspaper published in Auckland, New Zealand, owned by New Zealand Media and Entertainment, and considered a newspaper of record for New Zealand. It has the largest newspaper circulation of all newspaper ...
'' reported that over 30 councils were prepared to sign the MOUs. In mid-December, the "Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori” group converged on Parliament and met with politicians to express their opposition to the Three Waters programme. The group represented 23 mayors and local councils including Manawatū District Council Mayor Helen Worboys, the
Christchurch City Council The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since October 2022, the Mayor of Christchurch is Phil Mauger, wh ...
, and the
Waimate District Council Waimate District Council ( mi, Ko te kaunihera ā rohe o Waimate) is the territorial authority for the Waimate District of New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of ...
. The delegation met with representatives from various political parties, including the governing
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and
National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...
parties. The "Communities 4 Local Democracy" group had emerged in response to the local government advocacy body
Local Government New Zealand Local Government New Zealand Te Kahui Kaunihera ō Aotearoa (LGNZ) is the local government association of New Zealand. It represents the interests of the regional, city, and district councils in New Zealand. History The Association was form ...
not reflecting the views of their membership on the issue. However, the Communities group did not include any councils from Otago and Southland. The
Invercargill City Council Invercargill ( , mi, Waihōpai is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. The city lies in the heart of the wide expanse of ...
had voted against joining the group due to the $15,000 contribution fee. Dunedin Mayor Hawkins said incorrectly that the
Dunedin City Council The Dunedin City Council ( mi, Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Ōtepoti) is the local government authority for Dunedin in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Dunedin. Since October 2022, the Mayor of Dunedin is Jul ...
(DCC) had declined to join the group since its rules would have required Dunedin residents to fund what he regarded as a futile legal action.


2022

On 23 February 2022, the Dunedin City Council voted to join "Communities 4 Local Democracy" by a margin of eight to seven. By that time, the number of local authorities involved in the advocacy group had risen to 28. In response to the DCC's decision to join "Communities 4 Local Democracy," two local Māori ''runanga'' (tribal councils) Kati Huirapa ki Puketeraki and Te Runanga o Otakou withdrew from their partnership with the city council; citing a breakdown in their relationship. On 29 March, the DCC voted by a margin of seven to six to reverse their earlier decision to join "Communities 4 Local Democracy." Supporters including Mayor Hawkins argued that joining the pressure group adversely affected the Council's relations with local Māori while opponents like Councillor
Lee Vandervis Lee Vandervis (born 1955) is a local-body politician who was first elected to the Dunedin City Council in the 2004 local elections. Vandervis has run for mayor in 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022; finishing second in 2007 and 2019 ...
criticised the Council's reversal as a rejection of local democracy in favour of "centralised control." In April, the mayors of the Gore District and the Southland District expressed support for the revised plans announced by government in response to the working group recommendations, including the shareholdings to be allocated to councils. The Mayor of Porirua expressed similar support. The President of Local Government New Zealand supported the need for change and the certainty provided by the government's announcements. However, the mayor of Auckland, although supporting much of the reforms, complained that Auckland was being disadvantaged and losing control of its water assets, because of the failure of other local bodies. In early July, Waimakariri District Mayor and Communities 4 Local Democracy deputy chair Dan Gordon urged the Invercargill City Council to reconsider its decision not to join the lobby group. On 4 July, the Southland District Council confirmed that it would oppose the Government's Three Water reforms and seek to retain control over its water assets. On 6 July, the
Wellington City Council Wellington City Council is a territorial authority in New Zealand, governing the country's capital city Wellington, and ''de facto'' second-largest city (if the commonly considered parts of Wellington, the Upper Hutt, Porirua, Lower Hutt and ...
voted against joining the anti-Three Waters Communities 4 Local Democracy. However, Mayor Andy Foster used his casting vote to express his disagreement with the Government's Three Water reforms. Despite its stated opposition to the Three Waters reforms, the
Taupō District Council Taupō District Council is a territorial authority that administers the Taupō District in the Central North Island of New Zealand. The district stretches from the small town of Mangakino in the northwest to the Tongariro National Park in the ...
applied for NZ$4.93 million in funding from the Government for an upgrade to Owen Delany Park. These funds come from the Government's Better Off Funding programme, which supports local government transition through the Three Waters reforms. Taupō District Mayor David Trewavas justified the funding application on the grounds that the Park upgrade would benefit the community. Following the release of 2022 New Zealand local elections results in early October 2022, surveys by online media organisations '' Newsroom'' and ''
The Spinoff ''The Spinoff'' is a New Zealand online magazine and news website that was founded in 2014. It is known for current affairs coverage, political and social analysis, and cultural commentary. It earns money through commercial sponsorship and su ...
'' found that a majority of elected mayors opposed the Three Waters reforms. ''Newsroom'' survey of 220 newly-elected mayors and councillors found that 76% of respondents opposed the Three Water reforms. Similarly, ''The Spinoff'' survey of 66 elected mayors found that 43 mayors were opposed to the Three Waters reforms, 14 were undecided, and that nine supported them. During the
2022 Auckland mayoral election The 2022 Auckland mayoral election will be held on 8 October 2022 to determine the Mayor of Auckland, as part of the 2022 New Zealand local elections. The incumbent mayor since 2016, Phil Goff, has announced he will not seek re-election. Campaign ...
, mayoral candidate Wayne Brown campaigned on halting the Three Water reforms programme in Auckland. Following his election as
Mayor of Auckland The Mayor of Auckland is the directly elected head of the Auckland Council, the local government authority for the Auckland Region in New Zealand, which it controls as a unitary authority. The position exists since October 2010 after the amal ...
, Brown instructed the region's water management company Watercare to stop working on the programme on 17 October, describing it as a "doomed proposal". In addition, other newly-elected mayors including
Mayor of Invercargill The Mayor of Invercargill is the head of the municipal government of Invercargill, New Zealand, and leads the Invercargill City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system every three years. The current m ...
Nobby Clark and
Mayor of Nelson The mayor of Nelson is the head of the municipal government of Nelson, New Zealand, and presides over the Nelson City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a single transferable vote electoral system. The current mayor is Nick Smith, wh ...
Nick Smith have expressed opposition to Three Waters. On 31st October 2022, Brown along with the
Mayor of Christchurch The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system. The current mayor, Ph ...
Phil Mauger The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system. The current mayor, Ph ...
and the Mayor of Waimakariri Dan Gordon proposed an alternative Three Waters plan which would maintain the national water regulator Taumata Arowai but would maintain local ownership, control and accountability over water resources including stormwater assets, transport and drainage. Other proposed changes have included providing affordable finance to support high standard investments in water infrastructure and encouraging local water services entities to consolidate into regional water entities.


2023

Mayoral responses to the Government's Three Waters revamp in mid-April 2023 was mixed. Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby stated that "a number of questions remained" but added that the vast majority of local councils agreed that water reform was necessary.
Mayor of South Wairarapa The Mayor of South Wairarapa is the head of municipal government for South Wairarapa District of New Zealand, which is administered by a district council. The office has existed since the 1989 local government reforms The 1989 New Zealand loc ...
Martin Connolly said that the changes would give local councils more say compared to the previous model.
Mayor of Wellington The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of the City of Wellington. The mayor presides over the Wellington City Council. The mayor is directly elected using the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representat ...
Tory Whanau Tory Awatere Whanau (born 1983) is a New Zealand politician. She was elected mayor of Wellington at the 2022 election. Previously she served as the parliamentary chief of staff for the Green Party. Whanau is the first person of Māori desce ...
defended the need for water reform but wanted it to go faster. She also welcomed the retention of mana whenua representation on the water servcies entities.
Mayor of New Plymouth The Mayor of New Plymouth is the head of municipal government of New Plymouth District, New Zealand. Since the 2022 local elections, the mayor is elected directly using the single transferable vote electoral system; prior to that, first-past-the-p ...
Neil Holdom expressed support for the water reforms and urged the Labour and National parties to put aside their political differences. The mayors of the Hawke's Bay region including Mayor of Hastings Sandra Hazlehurst, Mayor of Wairoa Craig Little,
Mayor of Central Hawke's Bay The Mayor of Central Hawke's Bay officiates over the Central Hawke's Bay District of New Zealand's North Island. Central Hawke's Bay District was formed through the 1989 local government reforms by amalgamating Waipukurau and Waipawa Waipawa ...
Alex Walker, Mayor of Napier Kirsten Wise,
Hawke's Bay Regional Council Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...
chair Hinewai Ormsby, and Ngāti Kahungu iwi chair Bayden Barber issued a joint statement welcoming the changes to the Three Waters reform as a "win-win" for the Hawke's Bay region. Several Mayors including
Mayor of Ashburton The Mayor of Ashburton officiates over the Ashburton District of New Zealand's South Island. The district is administered by a district council. From 1878 until the 1989 local government reforms, the area was administered by a borough council. ...
Neal Brown,
Mayor of Dunedin The Mayor of Dunedin is the head of the local government, the city council of Dunedin, New Zealand. The Mayor's role is "to provide leadership to the other elected members of the territorial authority, be a leader in the community and perform c ...
Jules Radich, and
Mayor of Gore The mayor of Gore officiates over the Gore District in New Zealand's South Island. Prior to local government reorganisation in 1989, the mayor of Gore officiated over the Gore Borough. The current mayor is Ben Bell. List of office holders G ...
Ben Bell adopted "a wait and see approach." By contrast, critics including
Mayor of Manawatu The Mayor of Manawatu officiates over the Manawatu District of New Zealand. Helen Worboys is the current mayor of Manawatu. She was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2019. History Manawatu District was formed through the amalgamation of the fo ...
and Communities 4 Local Democracy co-chair
Helen Worboys Helen Joyce Worboys is a New Zealand local-body politician. She is the sixth Mayor of Manawatu, and has held the position since 2016. Worboys has lived in the Feilding area since the age of 10. Before entering local government she was a farmer an ...
,
Mayor of Grey The Mayor of Grey, often referred to as the Mayor of Greymouth, officiates over the Grey District of New Zealand which is administered by the Grey District Council with its seat in Greymouth. The current Mayor is Tania Gibson. Two predecessors to ...
Tania Gibson, Mayor of Clutha Bryan Cadogan, Mayor of Hurunui Marie Black, Mayor of Upper Hutt Wayne Gupp,
Mayor of Invercargill The Mayor of Invercargill is the head of the municipal government of Invercargill, New Zealand, and leads the Invercargill City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system every three years. The current m ...
Nobby Clark, Mayor of Southland Rob Scott, Mayor of Central Otago Tim Cadogan, and
Mayor of Queenstown-Lakes The mayor of Queenstown-Lakes in New Zealand presides over the Queenstown-Lakes District Council. The district council has existed since 1986 and there have been seven mayors so far. Queenstown-Lakes District Council In 1986, the Queenstown Boro ...
Glyn Lewers argued that the Government's changes failed to address their concerns with Three Waters including property rights, local governance, and regional representation.


Māori leaders and groups

In mid-May 2021, Te Maire Tau, the chair of Te Kura Taka Pini, the Māori tribe
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Point ...
's freshwater group, disputed claims by the opposition National Party leader
Judith Collins Judith Anne Collins (born 24 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician who served as the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the New Zealand National Party from 14 July 2020 to 25 November 2021. She was the second female Leader of the Natio ...
that the Government was planning to transfer 50% of the publicly owned water assets in the South Island to Ngāi Tahu. He said Ngāi Tahu did not want to own water infrastructure, and believed that it should remain in public ownership, but that Ngāi Tahu was seeking a share of governance responsibilities. In May 2021, some Māori leaders from
Ruapehu District Ruapehu District is a territorial authority in the centre of New Zealand's North Island. It has an area of 6,734 square kilometers and the district's population in was . Features The district is landlocked, and contains the western half of t ...
,
Whanganui Whanganui (; ), also spelled Wanganui, is a city in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand. The city is located on the west coast of the North Island at the mouth of the Whanganui River, New Zealand's longest navigable waterway. Whang ...
,
South Taranaki South Taranaki is a territorial authority on the west coast of New Zealand's North Island that contains the towns of Hāwera (the seat of the district), Manaia, Ōpunake, Patea, Eltham, and Waverley. The District has a land area of 3,575.46&nbs ...
and
Rangitikei District The Rangitikei District is a territorial authority district located primarily in the Manawatū-Whanganui region in the North Island of New Zealand, although a small part, the town of Ngamatea (13.63% by land area), lies in the Hawke's Bay Regi ...
, including Fiona Kahukura Chase and former
Te Pāti Māori Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a political party in New Zealand advocating indigenous rights. It contests the specially reserved Māori electorates, in which its main rival is the Labour Party. Under the current lead ...
(Māori Party) Member of Parliament Dame
Tariana Turia Dame Tariana Turia (born 8 April 1944) is a New Zealand politician. She was first elected to Parliament in 1996. Turia gained considerable prominence during the foreshore and seabed controversy in 2004, and eventually broke with the Labour P ...
, said that the creation of large entities to manage water infrastructure would make it more difficult for local Māori to be part of policy making. Following the launch of the Three Waters programme in late October 2021, Te Maire Tau, the co-chair of Te Kura Taka Pini, welcomed the Three Water reforms, claiming they would improve water services and environmental outcomes. In mid April 2023, Te Pāti Māori vice-president
John Tamihere John Henry Tamihere (born 8 February 1959) is a New Zealand politician, media personality, and political commentator. He was member of Parliament from 1999 to 2005, including serving as a Cabinet minister in the Labour Party from August 2002 to ...
rejected the idea of co-governance in favour of the idea that Māori owned the country's water resources.


Political parties

In mid May 2021, National Party leader Judith Collins claimed that the Government was planning to transfer 50% of the publicly-owned water assets in the South Island to the Māori tribe
Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Point ...
. In late October 2021, the opposition National and ACT parties vowed to repeal the Three Waters reforms if elected into government.
Christopher Luxon Christopher Mark Luxon (born 19 July 1970) is a New Zealand politician and former business executive who is currently serving as leader of the New Zealand National Party and the Leader of the Opposition. He has been the Member of Parliament (M ...
, who had replaced Collins as National Party leader, accused the Government of misleading local councils about Three Waters being optional. In response to criticism, Labour Party leader and
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister i ...
Jacinda Ardern Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern ( ; born 26 July 1980) is a New Zealand politician who has been serving as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand and leader of the Labour Party since 2017. A member of the Labour Party, she has been the member of ...
denied that the Government had misled local councils by pitching the Three Waters programme as optional but later determining that it was mandatory, claiming that the Government had worked with local councils to build a consensus for several months. In response to the revised reform plans announced by government on 29 April 2022, opposition parties criticised the reforms because of the loss of control by local councils, and the design of the governance structure. They promised to repeal the proposed legislation if elected to government. In late July 2022, Luxon stated that the Three Waters reforms could become an electoral issue at the
2023 New Zealand general election The 2023 New Zealand general election to determine the composition of the 54th Parliament of New Zealand is planned to be held on 14 October 2023, after the currently elected 53rd Parliament is dissolved or expires. Voters will elect 120 memb ...
, claiming that the Government had not listened to local democracy, local government, and local voices when implementing the reforms. On 25 February 2023, Luxon announced that a future National government would scrap the Three Waters reform programme and return water assets to local government control. In addition, Luxon confirmed that National would establish a Water Infrastructure Regulator within the
Commerce Commission The Commerce Commission ( mi, Te Komihana Tauhokohoko) is a New Zealand government agency with responsibility for enforcing legislation that relates to competition in the country's markets, fair trading and consumer credit contracts, and regul ...
to set and enforce standards for long-term water infrastructure investment. Under National's water infrastructure plan, local councils would be required to "ring-fence" funds for water infrastructure and "Regional Council Controlled Organisations" would be established to help local councils borrow funds. Following the launch of the Government's revamped "Affordable Water Reforms" programme in mid April 2023, Luxon claimed that the changes amounted to a name change and vowed to repeal the policy if National is elected into government. On 14 April, National's local government spokesperson Simon Watts disputed Local Government Minister
Kieran McAnulty Kieran Michael McAnulty (born 31 January 1985) is a New Zealand Labour Party politician. First elected to parliament in 2017, he is a minister outside Cabinet and the Member of Parliament for the Wairarapa electorate. Formerly the Chief Governm ...
's debt figures around the Water Reforms programme and stated that the Government's rebrand of Three Waters would not fool anyone.


Public opinion

On 22 October 2021, a Curia- Taxpayers' Union poll found that 54% of voters opposed the scheme while 19% supported the scheme. Despite its unpopularity with local councils and the public, the Government persisted with the Three Waters reform programme. On 22 November 2021, a
Newshub ''Newshub'' (stylised as ''Newshub.'') is a New Zealand news service that airs on the television channels Three and Eden, as well as on digital platforms. It formerly operated across radio stations run by MediaWorks Radio until December 2021 ...
–Reid Research poll found that 48% of people opposed the reforms while 27% supported, with 25% unsure. Of Labour voters, 40% were in support with 30% opposed and 31% unsure.


Protests

In mid-September 2021, about 25 protesters opposed to the Three Waters reforms stormed the offices of the
Nelson City Council Nelson City Council is a unitary local authority. It has its headquarters in Nelson. History Nelson City Council was created in 1992. Local governance of Nelson began with Nelson Province in 1853, which covered the entire upper South Island ...
. The protest violated
COVID-19 lockdown Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countrie ...
restrictions in force throughout New Zealand at the time. In early October 2021, about 70 protesters opposed to the Three Waters reforms picketed the offices of the
Tauranga City Council Tauranga City Council is the local government authority for Tauranga City in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the 158,000 people of Tauranga. The last Mayor of Tauranga was Tenby Powell, who resigned in Novembe ...
. The protest violated COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in force at the time. On 21 May 2022, protesters opposed to the Three Waters reforms attempted to march across the
Auckland Harbour Bridge The Auckland Harbour Bridge is an eight-lane motorway bridge over the Waitematā Harbour in Auckland, New Zealand. It joins St Marys Bay on the Auckland city side with Northcote on the North Shore side. It is part of State Highway 1 and th ...
. They assaulted police and disrupted traffic. In response, police arrested 11 protesters.


References


External links

* {{Sixth Labour Government of New Zealand Local government in New Zealand Water in New Zealand Infrastructure in New Zealand Drinking water Sanitation