Wednesday, 24 August 2022 07:55

Pause Three Waters, farmers tell Govt

Written by  Jessica Marshall
Farmers say the rural voice would be diluted if services farmers rely on, like water supplies, are centralised. Farmers say the rural voice would be diluted if services farmers rely on, like water supplies, are centralised.

Federated Farmers say the controversial Three Waters Reform should be paused before the legislation bill reaches its second reading.

In a submission to a parliamentary select committee, Federated Farmers expressed concerns about the Water Services Entities (WSE) Bill. If passed, the bill would establish four publicly owned water services entities in place of local authorities.

Federated Farmers argues that the bill should not proceed to a second reading in Parliament.

“Many farmers are either self-suppliers or their water is supplied by private water schemes meaning they should not be directly affected by the move to WSEs,” Feds says.

The farmer lobby argues that numerous community ‘mixed use’ rural water supplies, such as human drinking water and water for livestock or irrigation, supplying water to farmhouses, lifestyle blocks, marae, owned or operated by local authorities.

“The Government did not seem to have thought deeply about implications for these rural water suppliers until last December when it belatedly set up a Rural Water Supplies Working Group.”

In June, that working group - the Rural Supplies Technical Working Group - made 30 recommendations in a report to the Department of Internal Affairs.

Among those recommendations was that New Zealand’s 100 or so council- owned rural water supply schemes be transferred to the four new cogoverned water entities, but that there needed to be a pathway for some council-owned rural water supplies to revert to ownership by their users.

Federated Farmers say they agree with the working group’s recommendations if the WSE bill were to proceed.

Earlier this month, Federated Farmers national board member and local government spokesperson Sandra Faulkner told the select committee the organisation was against the nationalisation of previously local entities.

“Will the likes of roading, waste management and building consents be next for centralisation away from local councils?” she asked.

“Many farmers, as significant ratepayers and strongly rooted in their local communities, still care deeply about our councils and what they see as an attack on local democracy.”

Faulkner argued that the rural voice would be diluted if services farmers rely on, like water supplies, are centralised while local councils would be “hollowed out”.

“There seem to be a lot more bureaucracy and cost associated with the four entities’ multi-tiered governance arrangements and the various advisory groups and forums that will be set up to try and replicate what we already have – local voice and accountability.”

More like this

Another win

OPINION: Feds Southland 'pres' Jason Herrick and colleagues who continue the good fight against bureaucratic madness on behalf of farmers, have had another win - for now, at least - getting a court decision granting a 'stay' on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until changes can be made to section 70 of the RMA by central goverment, somtheing they clearly signaled after the election.

Court decision a win for Southland farmers

Federated Farmers says it welcomes a recent court decision which granted a stay on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until legislative changes can be made by government.

Featured

Farmers will adapt amid global trade turmoil

New tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump signal an uncertain future, but New Zealand farmers know how to adapt to changing conditions, says Auriga Martin, chief executive of Farm Focus.

National

Machinery & Products

Amazone extends hoe range

With many European manufacturers releasing mechanical weeding systems to counter the backlash around the use and possible banning of agrochemicals,…

Gong for NH dealers

New Holland dealers from around Australia and New Zealand came together last month for the Dealer of the Year Awards,…

A true Kiwi ingenuity

The King Cobra raingun continues to have a huge following in the New Zealand market and is also exported to…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Dairy power

OPINION: The good times felt across the dairy sector weren't lost at last week's Beef + Lamb NZ annual meeting.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter