Democracy Action is criticising the Waikato Regional Council’s proposal to outsource monitoring of the waters in and around Lake Taupō to the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board.

Spokesperson Lee Short said:

“This environmental work is absolutely a core function of a Regional Council. If the Council believes outsourcing water quality monitoring is the better option, it has an obligation to the community to follow a best practise procurement policy by conducting a fully transparent tender process. It should not gift this contract without contest to a favoured entity.

“People need to let the Waikato Regional Council know through the consultation process that they should stick to performing their key activities, and not look to farm them out in the name of a Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership.”

The proposal is currently open for consultation and will close on Wednesday 8 July 2020. To read the proposal and to make a submission, visit

https://waikatoregion.govt.nz/community/whats-happening/have-your-say/transfer-of-lake-taupo-monitoring-functions/

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