Manawatū mayor rejects campaign against Three Waters is anti-Labour

Sunday, 14 November 2021

Leave the politicking at the door and focus on what matters, which is that central government needs to stop steam rolling decisions, a mayor says.

After it was revealed a group of councils, led by Manawatū District Council mayor Helen Worboys, were creating a campaign to throw out how the Government intends to reform drinking, storm and wastewater, Worboys said they faced allegations of being anti-Labour.

They had been accused of pushing the agenda of the National Party and lobby group Taxpayers Union.

She said the accusation was bolstered by the Union launching their own campaign with a similar mission on October 27, and by her council looking to hire a consultant who owned a company with a former National MP.

“We've been absolutely transparent, we’re not aligned to any political parties or groups,” she said.

**READ MORE:

* Three Waters: Wider Manawatū politicians frustrated at being forced into entities

* Waimate Council unhappy with LGNZ over Three Waters response

* Mayors open to review of the future of local government

**

Local government expert Jean Drage said the Manawatū-led campaign was the latest in a long history of local government opposing central government reforms, regardless of which party was in power.

Drage had been researching local government in New Zealand for over 35 years. She said the pushback against Three Waters was symptomatic of a fundamentally, unequal system of governance.

“A simple majority is all it would take to abolish local government. Value wise it would never happen, but it could.

“It wouldn’t be a concern if local government and central government had a culture of respect, but it doesn't.”

Central government had the power, and local governments had to do what they were told, she said.

Drage said central government turned its nose up at local governments and steam rolled decisions.

The most significant being the 1989 amalgamation of local government, where about 700 local authorities became 86. After Auckland became a super city in 2010, there were 78.

More recently, in 2016, she said the last National-led government tried to give the Local Government Commission power to change what services local government provided. But, local government successfully lobbied against it.

“Local governments characteristically vote against anything that will change them. They’re always on the back foot, and they're vulnerable.”

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) acknowledged this when president Stuart Crosby told Stuff it was sick of shouting from the audience rather than working on the field with the government.

For the first time, local government was being welcomed to a working group that would iron out concerns about the reform.

To get in on the working group, LGNZ promised to not oppose the Government if the reforms were made mandatory.

Worboys and other councils believe signing that agreement was wrong, and was why the campaign was being launched independently.

Drage said it was positive LGNZ was able to work from within, but ultimately the Government called the shots.

“Local government is important to keep central government accountable. It's about power balance, but local government has very little power.”

Worboys said the campaign would be aimed at the public rather than the Government, as it had already made up its mind.

Councils had until November 19 to join the campaign and pledge between $10,000-$20,000, depending on the size and means of the council, she said.

Stuff understands at least six councils have signed up.

Some councils provided feedback prior to the reforms becoming mandatory and 75 per cent of them were opposed to the model.