While Ngāi Tahu preferred the four regional entities proposed under the government's original water reforms, it says it will work with councils within its takiwā to ensure the success of the water infrastructure and services reform announced by the government today.
The changes include creating an extra six entities, including splitting the South Island into three areas. The original proposals would have seen all 22 councils within the Ngāi Tahu area fall under one entity. However, the changes mean there will now be two.
Te Kura Taka Pini (the Ngāi Tahu freshwater group) co-chair Professor Te Maire Tau says despite that, the iwi is committed to working in the interests of reaching the ultimate shared goal of safe, equitable and financially sustainable water services for all communities.
“The government has made a trade-off between more localised council representation and control on the one hand, and administrative efficiencies and economies of scale on the other,” Professor Tau said. “We see the Ngāi Tahu takiwā as an integrated whole of waterways and catchments, and so our preference remains a single takiwā entity involving all councils and greater fiscal sustainability.
Discussing need for two
"Some councils share this view.”
Professor Tau said Ngāi Tahu would explore with councils whether their needs and the public good would be better served by one or two entities within the takiwā.
“Nevertheless, today’s announcement remains a significant improvement on the pre-reform status quo, where ratepayers faced an uncertain future of unsustainable cost increases and service failures. After decades of underinvestment, it will bring us closer to equitable, safe and financially sustainable water services throughout the country.”
“We will share our commercial and governance expertise, and our knowledge and scientific research into the geology and hydrology of water catchments in the takiwā and encourage a collaborative approach for the benefit of all our communities.”
