Tauranga residents have until mid-February to have their say on the Government's new Three Waters Reform bills.
Tauranga City Council is advising residents that time is of the essence for anyone keen to share their feedback on the latest chapter in the Government's Three Waters Reform process.
The Three Waters reform is a government-led initiative to merge and standardise water services across New Zealand.
Before its summer break, the Government released two new legislative bills, the Water Services Legislation Bill and Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill.
The two bills are open for submissions from councils and the wider public until mid-February.
Individuals have until February 12, 2023, to make their submission, with council submissions closing February 17, 2023.
Due to a short submission window and breadth of the legislation, TCC has joined forces with 21 other councils in the Entity B area to enlist the aid of Simpson Grierson, a legal firm specialising in public policy analysis.
The firm will assist TCC and the other councils to conduct a thorough review of the two bills. This will allow TCC to submit an accurate and impactful response within the Government's limited timeframe.
According to TCC, the limited timeframe to submit responses also means the council is unable to incorporate community feedback into its formal council submission.
Instead, TCC encourages its communities to submit their feedback on the two bills directly to Central Government through its submission portals.
To make individual submissions follow the submission prompts on New Zealand Parliament's webpages for the Water Services Legislation Bill and the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill. Or see: https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/make-a-submission/
Previous Tauranga City Council submissions can be found on TCC's Three Waters Reform webpage at: https://www.tauranga.govt.nz/council/water-services/three-waters-reform
The transfer of water services from councils to these new entities is scheduled to take place July 1, 2024. Tauranga's water services will transfer to Water Services Entity B, along with 21 other councils.
7 comments
Three waters referendum in October
Posted on 30-01-2023 15:36 | By Tga Citizen
As the council, and this government, have proved they do not listen to the wishes of their electorates, there will be a quasi-referendum on three waters. Keep this government in power and have more of the same, or change the government and make sure they uphold their promises to stop three waters.
With any luck........
Posted on 30-01-2023 19:36 | By groutby
....the decision will be made for us early this week by the new PM....gone by lunchtime thanks !!...then wait for the screams from the Maori caucus....should be quite an eventful week :)
Govt over reach
Posted on 31-01-2023 09:41 | By an_alias
Yep keep submitting for the millionth time and we will keep ignoring you at every step, well unless you finally agree we are right. Just like the new Health regulation proposed to regulate all of your natural health vitamins. Yep more govt over reach so you are safer having your vitamin C which will be no doubt require a Doctor visit and extra $55 to your $10 vit C
Don't trust them
Posted on 31-01-2023 11:49 | By Kancho
They have been on this underhanded path for a long time now and I don't believe three waters will stop nor the co governance. Especially if Labour get back in they will continue and it will be our fault . It's a case of fool you once shame on you fool me twice shame in me. There centralise mantra is failing and will continue to fail and the attack on democratic process continues. Don't be casual about it they need to be voted out
The Councils
Posted on 31-01-2023 12:44 | By Merlin
The Councils have neglected their infrastructure maintenance for nice to have projects and now a larger amount of costs is required to bring it up to scratch. Whether 3 Waters is the answer is very hard to determine.
3 waters is the tip of the iceberg.
Posted on 31-01-2023 13:47 | By morepork
Don't be persuaded that if 3 waters is stopped, Democracy will be saved. This idea emerged out of the He Puapua report which, although being distanced from and given a very low profile, is still being implemented quietly by the Government. 3 waters needs to be stopped, opaque government behind closed doors, needs to be stopped, co-governance and He Puapua need to be stopped, and this Government needs to be gone. Given the rising awareness of their folly, perhaps they will be.
@ morepork
Posted on 31-01-2023 14:22 | By Yadick
Well said.
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