Ashburton District Council is a member of Communities 4 Local Democracy

Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown is among mayors supporting rapid repeal of the outgoing Government’s Three Water legislation.

“Council looks forward to working with the new Government to ensure the new policy is put in place. Our community have been unsettled about this reform for too long and need certainty for the future,” Mayor Brown said.

Ashburton District Council is among 30 local authorities who have formed Communities 4 Local Democracy He hapori mō te Manapori (C4LD), which opposed the outgoing Government’s Three Waters reforms that would see all drinking water, wastewater and stormwater assets no longer controlled by councils.

C4LD yesterday welcomed the new National-led Government and their vow to scrap the Three Waters policy.

During the election campaign the new Government coalition partners promised to scrap Three Waters and replace the legislation with a new proposal based on community-ownership of water services.

“We welcome the new Government and their promise to scrap this divisive and flawed reform,” say co-chairs of C4LD, Manawatu District Mayor Helen Worboys and Waimakariri District Mayor Dan Gordon.

“We look forward to the new Government swiftly repealing the outgoing Government’s legislation to honour that commitment. Both leading into the campaign, and during the campaign, they’ve been clear with Kiwis that this was their intention, and they have the electoral mandate now to get on with it and fix this flawed reform.

“There has been enough discussion and feedback from communities, councils, and the water sector.  National has a clear and reasoned policy on Three Waters reform.  Officials should now get out of the way and let the new Government implement its electoral mandate. The time for decisive action is now and we call on them to move swiftly to stop the Wellington bureaucracy from wasting more time and money on the outgoing Government’s flawed reform.

“C4LD has an alternative approach ready to deliver that can achieve broad political support, and that delivers a better outcome for our communities compared to the previous oversimplified ‘one size fits none’ model.

“We’re ready to work alongside and in partnership with the new Government to make this happen swiftly so addressing core infrastructure issues like water doesn’t languish any longer.”