OPINION

Before the election, you will recall that I told you, repeatedly, that National was not an agent of change. That they were the party of the status quo, preferring to manage what Labour has done, but more efficiently. They were asking you to vote for change but it is now obvious that they have conned those of you who voted to rid ourselves of this nonsense.

Here is the first walk back, before a government is even formed.

Wellingtonians who voted for the incoming National-led Government hoping to see a reversal of Labour’s Three Water reforms may face disappointment.

Chris Bishop, the likely Minister of Infrastructure confirmed that other than ensuring there is no co-governance, little else will change.

Labour’s reforms involved setting up 10 entities responsible for three waters across the country.

The entities were to be set up by July 2024 but both National and Act promised to repeal the Three Waters Reform Bill if elected.

Speaking to The Post on Thursday, Bishop said there would be little change under a new government.

Councils would no longer be forced to join one of the 10 new entities and would be given the option of forming their own. In Wellington, he said it was inevitable that the body responsible for three waters would be Wellington Water.

Wellington Water already provides water services to the Wellington, Upper and Lower Hutt, Porirua and South Wairarapa councils.

So while the entities would still exist, there would be no co-governance — a subject that sparked rallies across the country from those opposed to the idea. But ownership of the infrastructure would still transfer to the new entities, Bishop said.

The Post

I told you so.

So much for their billboards. Repeal and Replace they said. They lied.

What they are going to do amounts to little more than tinkering at the edges.

They may have fooled you but they don’t fool me.

National, just like Labour, but less crap. But crap nonetheless.

Help Fund Our NewsDesk

We are building a NewsDesk, hiring journalists and taking the fight to the mainstream media. Will you help fund our NewsDesk?

Your Donation
Donation Period *
Details
Payment
Like What You’ve Read?
Become a Member and Directly Support this Author

Please share this article so others can discover The BFD.

As much at home writing editorials as being the subject of them, Cam has won awards, including the Canon Media Award for his work on the Len Brown/Bevan Chuang story. When he’s not creating the news,...