The government's final piece of legislation to implement 'Local Water Done Well', replacing Labour's Three Waters, has passed its third reading.
National MP Ryan Hamilton hailed the legislation, saying "hello localism and choice", while Te Pāti Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi called it "an atrocious piece of work."
The government has said the Local Government (Water Services) Bill and the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Bill provide a "flexible" framework for local councils to address challenges related to drinking water, waste water and stormwater services.
NZ First's Casey Costello led the debate, calling it the government's "urgently required" plan to "address challenges with New Zealand's water services."
"Simply put, chronic underinvestment and the lack of sustainable management of local government water services has come home to roost."
Costello said councils would be able to choose the best structure for "financially sustainable water services that meet regulatory requirements and local needs".
"I want to keep repeating that Local Water Done Well will maintain local ownership, choice, and decision-making. That gives councils the best shot at identifying their most pressing problems and the right approach to solving them."
National MP Ryan Hamilton hailed the passing of the government's Three Waters replacement.
"Goodbye Three Waters, hello Local Water Done Well. Goodbye co-governance, hello locally chosen and designed options.
"Hello localism and choice."
NZ First's Jamie Arbuckle highlighted the removal of "co-governance" in the legislation.
"Isn't it great to get rid of co-governance from this piece of legislation? Get rid of it! We are about New Zealanders. We are about Kiwis."
But the opposition slammed the legislation, with Labour's Megan Woods saying it "shifts the financial risk" to councils and ratepayers.
She criticised the government's response to Three Waters as it had got rid of the economies of scale and "the money that could have been saved", allowing for a "proliferation" of water service entities.
"What the government said was 'Oh no there's two few entities, there's not enough room for local decision making under the previous government plans'."
But the changes had led to an average increase in water charges for households, she said.
Tangi Utikere, Labour's spokesperson for local government, said there was no adequate financial support to those councils for the changes the government was seeking to implement.
Te Pāti Māori's Mariameno Kapa-Kingi criticised the government for "ignoring the role of Māori in the delivery of water services."
"Removing these provisions is not progress, it is reform, it is regression and it is deeply and only racist."
She said the bill in its thinking and design ignored and dismissed how "tangata tiriti get to live here", referencing Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
She implored the government to "get the education" and concluded by saying "what an atrocious piece of work."
