ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕕𝕘𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕤𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕡 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 '𝕕𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝'

𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 ℙ𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕪 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣 𝕤𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕒 ℕ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕒𝕝 𝕘𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕟𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕤𝕔𝕣𝕒𝕡 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕎𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤 𝕞𝕠𝕕𝕖𝕝 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕒 𝕤𝕦𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕤𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕞 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕕𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣, 𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕞𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕨𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕣 - 𝕨𝕙𝕚𝕔𝕙 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕣𝕖𝕞𝕒𝕚𝕟 𝕚𝕟 𝕝𝕠𝕔𝕒𝕝 𝕔𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕣𝕠𝕝.

N

national party leader Chrissie Luxon said the current situation of failed pipes, wastage and huge ratepayer bills could not continue, but the answer was not Labour's Three Waters scheme.

A National government would set strict water quality standards and require councils to invest in the ongoing maintenance of their vital water infrastructure, he said.

Councils would be required to have a clear plan for that investment, with National establishing a Water Infrastructure Regulator to set and enforce standards, he said.

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"While water quality regulator Taumata Arowai will set strict standards for water quality, National will establish a Water Infrastructure Regulator within the Commerce Commission to set and enforce standards for long-term water infrastructure investment," Luxon said in a statement.

National pledges to scrap Three Waters and 'deliver local water well' https://t.co/wrxxED2ggJ

— RNZ News (@rnz_news) February 24, 2023

"Councils will be required to ring-fence money for water infrastructure and not spend it on other services instead."

National supported greater access for councils to long-term borrowing, he said.

"One way to improve access to borrowing would be for neighbouring councils to form Regional Council Controlled Organisations. Ultimately, it is up to the councils but we would envisage it is likely a number of regional groups will emerge to deliver better water services," Luxon said.

If councils could not come up with clear plans to deliver ongoing investment in water infrastructure, then the government would step in, Luxon said.

Water assets would remain with the communities that paid for them, he said.

The Prime Minister said today he will give the National Party the benefit of the doubt on its plan to replace the Three Waters policy.

Chris Hipkins said he had not had a chance to closely examine National's plans yet.

"My understanding is that they're effectively arguing for the status quo - that's going to result in significantly higher rates for people. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt and have a look at their plan."

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A group representing 30 councils said National's plans better protected property rights and the local voice.

Communities 4 Local Democracy said it backed National's aims to retain local ownership.

Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said it would be ideal for there to be cross-party support for reform and he was encouraged by the government's recent call to take a fresh look at its model.

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