Thank you The Weekend Sun for publishing letters to the editor. A free press is so important in these volatile times. I've never known a time when local and central government was so contentious, yet so important to us all!
Re: ‘Disappointed in Three waters view' (The Weekend Sun, June 17). May I congratulate katikati-Waihi Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association chair Keith Hay for so effectively representing public opinion. I have found hundreds that support him; no one yet that disagrees! That is democracy at work.
As an electrical contractor involved over many years with council water and sewerage work, and later with 12 years as an elected councillor, I understand better than most the energy and effort staff made and the huge ratepayer cost input that provided the excellent facilities we now have.
I understand the Katikati Community Board was unanimously opposed to Three Waters. WBOP councillor Allan Sole took this message to council, and voted accordingly; however councillor James Denyer – as pointed out in Keith's letter – voted the other way, with an opposing view.
Government want to pay us a few cents in the dollar for the asset ratepayers have built over many years, and transfer some control to iwi.
Our WBOPD council had the option to join other councils, and spend $15,000 to fight to retain $323 million of ratepayer-funded asset – a good deal I would have thought! Government has offered a $21 million ‘sweetner'in the form of Better off funding. Councillor Denyer's reply to Keith's last week says he'd rather not waste money on political posturing. My maths tells me what is proposed is a rotten deal, so I support opposing Three Waters for the above reasons. Councillors must reflect public opinion.
I believe what the Governmen. is proposing is contestable, outrageous and unfair to our ratepayers. I invite further public opinion on this injustice. One law for all is the only Kiwi way!
Norm Mayo, Katikati.
3 comments
3waters
Posted on 24-06-2022 13:47 | By peanuts9
Dear Mr. Mayo Not all oppose the implementation of 3Waters. Some are looking forward to it and hoping it means the end of no storage, shortages, restrictions and erratic pressure. All things our council seems to be unable or, more likely unwilling, to fix. Maybe we are wrong but all we get, now, is ever increasing costs for less service. To us, 3Waters is unlikely to be worse.
@peanuts9
Posted on 26-06-2022 21:23 | By groutby
..to both of you that think 3waters is not going to be worse, I urge you to reconsider. Although I realise there are improvements to be made, the way forward with 3waters in practical terms is totally vague. How improvement to supply and quality of water in New Zealand under this scheme is not at all clear leading me to believe it will be another expensive and futile exercise. There does however seem to be an almost irrational sense of urgency to implement this which also leads me to believe there is another agenda at play here with undertones of well.....simply 'dodgy' politically motivated reasoning..... .....3waters will be worse...a lot worse..........
Asset takeover
Posted on 30-06-2022 12:12 | By Rayna Elaine
Tauranga leads NZ in its water policy iplementation worth Millions of dollars . Tauranga has just won an extra award for its 3.2 Access to Water project. Mahuta's version of 3waters would take possession of these assets for the price of $130,000 and control over the four North Island divisions would come from Hamilton. There are layers of bureaucracy and control including a co-governance right. 67 Coumcils originally voted against the 3Waters initiave, Itis just a blatant takeover
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