It appears that the Govt is too involved with ‘Three Waters’ to pull out now.
The Act is comprehensive and covers every little detail.
Complexities always arise relating to the Treaty of Waitangi.
“Treaty Settlement Obligations Prevail”
They were never going to listen to local councils, even though they put this to all councils.
I understand that most are not agreeing to these changes. Although, Palmerston North City
Council is in agreement saying their pipes are so old with many requiring replacement that they simply cannot afford.
The rationale is:
" New Zealand faces significant infrastructure challenge in relation to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services (three waters) that are currently delivered by individual councils.
The investment needed over the next 30 to 40 years to maintain and upgrade New Zealand’s water infrastructure to a standard required to address the infrastructure challenge is unaffordable for most communities under the current arrangements".
Here in Queensland, Australia we have gone through similar changes where a few years ago water infrastructure was taken from local councils and handed to an entity, in our case, Unitywater with three shareholders from the local councils involved.
Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay.
This covers a large area providing essential water supply and sewage treatment services to these residents. Our experience is that they do quickly attend to any problems, but the cost of water has risen considerably.
After the NZ Act is passed it is most unfortunate that they will not allow local councils to be involved, or have any say, even in a limited way.
I will have a look tomorrow at the Water Services Legislation Bill - not that I will most
likely grasp it all that well. My brother wrote tonight and said that they are resisting the terrible polices this present government is wanting us to agree with them, they want to centralize a lot of our core business so locals can't make decisions for themselves.
Yep it's the amendments getting the attention right now, added at the last minute so as there is no Parliamentary discussion until February but the Act itself is extreme.
Good to hear from you Rich on Xmas Eve. Difficult though, to focus on a water issue at this time.
So will come back to that later. Because it is Xmas day and you are in Australia, you well know that we are a deeply religious country, so I thought I would respond with a message from Jesus.
Mary Magdalen on meeting Jesus for the first time:
It was in the month of June when I saw Him for the first time. He was walking in the wheatfield when I passed by with my handmaidens, and He was alone.
The rhythm of His steps was different from other men's, and the movement of His body was like naught I had seen before. Men do not pace the earth in that manner. And even now I do not know whether He walked fast or slow.
My handmaidens pointed their fingers at Him and spoke in shy whispers to one another.
And I stayed my steps for a moment, and raised my hand to hail Him. But He did not turn His face, and He did not look at me. And I hated Him. I was swept back into myself, and I was as cold as if I had been in a snow-drift. And I shivered.
That night I beheld Him in my dreaming; and they told me afterward that I screamed in my sleep and was restless upon my bed.
It was in the month of August that I saw Him again, through my window. He was sitting in the shadow of the cypress tree across my garden, and He was still as if He had been carved out of stone, like the statues in Antioch and other cities of the North Country.
And my slave, the Egyptian, came to me and said, "That man is here again. He is sitting there across your garden." And I gazed at Him, and my soul quivered within me, for He was beautiful.
His body was single and each part seemed to love every other part.
Then I clothed myself with raiment of Damascus, and I left my house and walked towards Him.
Was it my aloneness, or was it His fragrance, that drew me to Him?
Was it a hunger in my eyes that desired comeliness, or was it His beauty that sought the light of my eyes? Even now I do not know.
I walked to Him with my scented garments and my golden sandals, the sandals the Roman captain had given me. And when I reached Him, I said, "Good-morrow to you."
And He said, "Good-morrow to you, Miriam."
And He looked at me, and His night-eyes saw me as no man had seen me. And suddenly I was as if naked, and I was shy. Yet He had only said, "Good-morrow to you."
And then I said to Him, "Will you not come to my house?"
It appears that the Govt is too involved with ‘Three Waters’ to pull out now.
The Act is comprehensive and covers every little detail.
Complexities always arise relating to the Treaty of Waitangi.
“Treaty Settlement Obligations Prevail”
They were never going to listen to local councils, even though they put this to all councils.
I understand that most are not agreeing to these changes. Although, Palmerston North City
Council is in agreement saying their pipes are so old with many requiring replacement that they simply cannot afford.
The rationale is:
" New Zealand faces significant infrastructure challenge in relation to drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater services (three waters) that are currently delivered by individual councils.
The investment needed over the next 30 to 40 years to maintain and upgrade New Zealand’s water infrastructure to a standard required to address the infrastructure challenge is unaffordable for most communities under the current arrangements".
Here in Queensland, Australia we have gone through similar changes where a few years ago water infrastructure was taken from local councils and handed to an entity, in our case, Unitywater with three shareholders from the local councils involved.
Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay.
This covers a large area providing essential water supply and sewage treatment services to these residents. Our experience is that they do quickly attend to any problems, but the cost of water has risen considerably.
After the NZ Act is passed it is most unfortunate that they will not allow local councils to be involved, or have any say, even in a limited way.
As you say, this will not be permitted.
I only read the first 10 pages or so, but it was pretty shocking even on that short read.
I will have another look at it in January.
I will have a look tomorrow at the Water Services Legislation Bill - not that I will most
likely grasp it all that well. My brother wrote tonight and said that they are resisting the terrible polices this present government is wanting us to agree with them, they want to centralize a lot of our core business so locals can't make decisions for themselves.
Yep it's the amendments getting the attention right now, added at the last minute so as there is no Parliamentary discussion until February but the Act itself is extreme.
Good to hear from you Rich on Xmas Eve. Difficult though, to focus on a water issue at this time.
So will come back to that later. Because it is Xmas day and you are in Australia, you well know that we are a deeply religious country, so I thought I would respond with a message from Jesus.
Mary Magdalen on meeting Jesus for the first time:
It was in the month of June when I saw Him for the first time. He was walking in the wheatfield when I passed by with my handmaidens, and He was alone.
The rhythm of His steps was different from other men's, and the movement of His body was like naught I had seen before. Men do not pace the earth in that manner. And even now I do not know whether He walked fast or slow.
My handmaidens pointed their fingers at Him and spoke in shy whispers to one another.
And I stayed my steps for a moment, and raised my hand to hail Him. But He did not turn His face, and He did not look at me. And I hated Him. I was swept back into myself, and I was as cold as if I had been in a snow-drift. And I shivered.
That night I beheld Him in my dreaming; and they told me afterward that I screamed in my sleep and was restless upon my bed.
It was in the month of August that I saw Him again, through my window. He was sitting in the shadow of the cypress tree across my garden, and He was still as if He had been carved out of stone, like the statues in Antioch and other cities of the North Country.
And my slave, the Egyptian, came to me and said, "That man is here again. He is sitting there across your garden." And I gazed at Him, and my soul quivered within me, for He was beautiful.
His body was single and each part seemed to love every other part.
Then I clothed myself with raiment of Damascus, and I left my house and walked towards Him.
Was it my aloneness, or was it His fragrance, that drew me to Him?
Was it a hunger in my eyes that desired comeliness, or was it His beauty that sought the light of my eyes? Even now I do not know.
I walked to Him with my scented garments and my golden sandals, the sandals the Roman captain had given me. And when I reached Him, I said, "Good-morrow to you."
And He said, "Good-morrow to you, Miriam."
And He looked at me, and His night-eyes saw me as no man had seen me. And suddenly I was as if naked, and I was shy. Yet He had only said, "Good-morrow to you."
And then I said to Him, "Will you not come to my house?"
And He said, "Am I not already in your house?"
An excerpt: Khalil Gibran poem
Nice. I'm heading to friend's place for Xmas lunch. Better get my shoes on as it's 30 minute walk and I'm supposed to be there at 12:30.