In the lead up to the establishing  of council combined water entity Tiaki Wai we were led to believe this new council corporation to manage our three waters would be more efficient and save rate payers pockets. The incentive for our elected council members to agree to the setting up of Tiaki Wai was do it or face commissioners. Barely before the ink is dry, we are told by the Chair of Tiaki Wai that our water chargers are set to rise every year until they reach over $6800 a year. At the same time Local government minister Simon Watts was corralling our mayors into a committee set to replace regional councils along with this introducing legislation to cap rates all for the apparent benefit of savings of rate payers. Next, we will have council wide amalgamation imposed on us. As has already emerged from water entity debacle, none of these actions by local government minister Watts is for the benefit of water users or rate payers, and none were mandated by the users who pay. If we protest the way the water entity Tiaki Wai was imposed on us and we oppose amalgamation of our council, we need to make water infrastructure chargers and council wide amalgamation election issues. But don’t wait until we are blindsided again like we were with Tiaki Wai, ask those who seek our general election vote, now. It is clear our local government and its assets are being set up for privatization, by the current coalition government.     

Teresa Homan

A “thank you” to Teresa Homan for sending this letter to The Upper Hutt Connection.

05/05/26