Council flips on Three Waters

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has flipped and pulled out of a group against the Three Waters reforms.

Discussions with Ngai Tahu had triggered Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) to leave Communities for Local Democracy (C4LD).

The council’s decision to join the multi-council group, which sits in opposition to the Government’s Three Waters reforms, was made in February.

However, at a full council meeting on Thursday the decision was reversed.

Mayor Jim Boult said the decision to withdraw came down to a "variety of complex reasons", but in particular the council was unhappy with the level of engagement C4LD had had with iwi.

"While we’re not particularly happy with that [Three Waters], we concluded that we wanted to separate ourselves from C4LD."

The council had held discussions with Ngai Tahu representatives, who had expressed their discomfort with the council’s membership of C4LD.

The Three Waters reforms — in which Government proposed rolling storm, drinking, and waste water services owned and mostly delivered by local councils into four publicly-owned entities — have faced national backlash, particularly from local government.

While councils have largely agreed investment is needed, controversy arose over the take over of their water infrastructure assets.

The ensuing debate saw Government commission a working group of councils and mana whenua to review the proposal.

Yesterday, Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta and Finance Minister Grant Robertson announced the Government was accepting the working group’s recommendations to improve accountability, representation and governance in the reforms — and councils will now have a shareholding in the new water entities.

Mr Boult said council’s position on Three Waters was initially one of disappointment as, despite consultation with local authorities, the Government decided to mandate the reforms. However, the council supported change for a better system, he said.

"The announcements they’ve made today are encouraging and certainly look to be something that we’re more comfortable with."

Ngai Tahu was unable to be reached for comment on the council’s decision.

By Lucy Wormald