Campaigners fighting the Government’s plans to reform the nation’s three waters infrastructure took their anger to the steps of Christchurch City Council on Friday as they demanded that ministers hear concerns over the “undemocratic asset grab”.
The city was the first of 36 stops in a nationwide roadshow run by the Taxpayers’ Union to oppose the water reforms.
The Government is pushing through a major revamp of the way water is managed, and plans to transfer control of infrastructure from councils to four new independent entities, which would then be co-governed by councils and iwi.
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Campaigners say the three waters revamp is an attack on democracy.
Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams said the tour was being held to hear and highlight the concerns of ratepayers and local councils opposed to the “undemocratic three waters asset grab.”
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“We’re meeting local communities that own and have built and have paid for these three water assets, and we’re calling on the government and the select committee to do the same thing,” he said.
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Many residents are disgruntled about the planned reforms.
About 100 people turned up to the event in Christchurch on Friday, councillor Sam MacDonald – a strong opponent of the reforms – coming out to offer his support and speak to the campaigners.
“For us, it’s $6.9 billion of our assets being taken into entities where we’re going to have no real say,” he said, branding the reforms “an appalling attack on democracy”.
Under the reforms to drinking, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure, one single controlling entity would cover most of the South Island, while there would be three in the north.
It is planned for them to begin operating in July 2024.
The campaign heads to Southland next, where former broadcaster Peter Williams will be a guest speaker for events held in conjunction with Groundswell.
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The roadshow campaign will stop at 36 town and cities over the coming weeks.
