Mayors Toby Adams (Hauraki), Adrienne Wilcock (Matamata-Piako), Susan O’Regan (Waipā), Max Baxter (Ōtōrohanga), John Robertson (Waitomo), Gary Petley (South Waikato) at recent Karāpiro hui for Waikato Water Done Well. Photo: Supplied
A former Tauranga mayoral candidate has warned the private ownership of an essential service is the only likely outcome of the planned council controlled water authority.
Piopio resident Chudleigh Haggett, spoke out this week against the Waitomo District Council’s preferred option to join up to seven other Waikato councils in the Waikato Water Done Well organisation.
He addressed Wednesday’s hearing committee meeting.
Waitomo District Council’s proposal to hand around a quarter of its operations over to the council-controlled water organisation.
“The country voted not to have Three Waters and yet here we are with local authorities pushing the same agenda under a different name. Stop it,” he said in his submission.
The Waikato Water Done Well proposal covers drinking water and wastewater, leaving stormwater in the hands of local authorities.
“The only thing that will happen as a result of council’s preferred option is private ownership of an essential service, run for profit of the shareholders and once again ratepayers shut out from an essential service, that will have value only to rich listers and greedy wealthy people who have no regard for the ratepayer only profit,” he said. “The formation of a council-controlled organisation will enable that to happen and must not become the preference.”
Under the proposal, the shareholding councils appoint an independent board. Councils retain ownership and set expectations of the board through a statement of expectations.
Haggett told mayor John Robertson his main objection to Waikato Waters Done Well the fear was it could lead to privatisation.
Councillors were deliberating on submissions to the draft annual plan.
