Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown presented the Government’s proposed Affordable Water Reforms to councillors yesterday, and they decided unanimously to retain opposition to the proposed structure and subsequently its membership of the Communities for Local Democracy group.
Councillors shared the view that the issues around ownership and control of the assets had not been adequately addressed.
Councillor Tony Todd read out a prepared speech calling the Government’s rejigged reforms a “more expensive version” with the same problems.
“Ownership and control is still not resolved as far as I’m concerned,” Todd said.
He held reservations about the Canterbury-West Coast entity’s regional representation group having 13 mayors and 13 iwi representatives “trying to achieve a consensus”.
“Good luck with that Mr Mayor.”
Todd said the Prime Minister has said the government would intervene if agreement couldn’t be achieved “and I would second guess the side that he would support”.
Todd railed against the co-governance components of the reforms especially “the far bigger issue of Te Mana o te Wai”, which he claimed “basically gives iwi direct control of water”.
“This is at the heart of Three Waters legislation. Te Mana o te Wai statements kick in at the operational level and give Maori an awful lot of power.
“The question I ask, are iwi far wiser custodians of water than anyone else, and I doubt that.”
Te Mana o te Wai is the overarching document guiding council decisions on fresh water management through a National Policy Statement.
The Ministry for the Environment website says it “imposes a hierarchy of obligations”.
“This hierarchy means prioritising the health and well-being of water first. The second priority is the health needs of people (such as drinking water) and the third is the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural well-being.”
Todd’s statements were not challenged or discussed, with other councillors raising concerns about still losing local ownership and control of the assets through the reforms which resulted in the council asserting it does not support the reforms.
Brown said the issue will likely be determined at the polling booth later this year.

• By Jonathan Leask