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Govt advances plans to transfer 50 per cent of South Island’s public water assets to iwi ownership - Collins • Source: 1 NEWS
National leader Judith Collins says several South Island mayors are concerned by the Government’s advanced plans to transfer 50 per cent of the island’s publicly-owned water assets to iwi ownership. Source: 1 NEWS
The Department of Internal Affairs presented the Government’s preferred option for water reform to 23 mayors and Ngāi Tahu, Collins said in a statement.
This new mainland water agency would assume ownership of all water assets and some council debt.
Collins said National was of the understanding that four mega-agencies will be set up across Aotearoa as part of the Three Waters proposal to manage water assets. The agencies would be similar to Auckland’s Watercare.
Sunday, 16 May 2021, 4:05 pm
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Good afternoon, delegates. It’s
an absolute privilege to be speaking to you all here today
as your leader.
I’d like to acknowledge National
Party President Peter Goodfellow, my fellow board members,
my South Island colleagues, outgoing regional chair Roger
Bridge, and all of you, the members of the National Party.
It’s great to see you all here today.
This is the
third in our series of regional conferences up and down the
country this year, and the turnouts have been fantastic.
It’s been heartening to see you all so engaged after a
Sunday, 16 May 2021, 1:28 pm
The Government is advancing plans to transfer 50 per cent
of publicly-owned water assets in the South Island to Ngāi
Tahu ownership, National Leader Judith Collins
says.
Last Monday, the Department of Internal Affairs
presented the Government’s preferred option for Three
Waters reform to 23 mayors and South Island iwi. The
proposal was to consolidate all water infrastructure across
the South Island into one organisation.
This new
Mainland water agency, which would assume ownership of all
water assets and some council debt, was designed to be 50
per cent owned by Ngāi Tahu.
“This means councils
that have invested ratepayer money in pipes, wastewater and