Labour’s Three Waters legislation continues to go from bad to worse, National’s Local Government spokesperson Simon Watts says.

“Just three hours after Labour used its majority to pass its unpopular Three Waters bill, the Government had already started the process of significantly expanding it by adding a new Three Waters bill with more than 200-pages – right before Kiwis head off for the holidays.

“This new Bill is longer than the original Bill, adding additional responsibilities relating to the Treaty of Waitangi and treaty settlements, more assessment and regulatory functions, and the pricing and charging of water.

“These are all elements that should have been in the original Bill, but are now being added at the last minute.

“It’s clear that this is the stuff Labour didn’t want to talk about while this was being debated. For example, Kiwis could be fined $100,000 for carrying out work next to a stormwater network without seeking permission from one of the four mega entities that the Three Waters legislation creates.

“This is a slap in the face to the 88,000 Kiwis who submitted on the Three Waters bill, only to now have to spend Christmas preparing another submission because Labour is already making changes.

“Worse still, the amendments the Government plans to ram through contain the final provisions to confiscate the water assets that are currently owned by New Zealanders through their local councils.

“While Labour ignores the pleas from thousands of New Zealanders who have rejected the Government’s ‘reforms’, a National Government will repeal them and work with councils to create an enduring solution.”

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