Labour doesn’t care what the public has to say and will rush through its Three Waters legislation despite intense public opposition, National’s Local Government spokesperson Simon Watts says.

“Parliament received an overwhelming 88,324 public submissions on the Water Services Entities Bill, so National suggested a time extension to consider them.

“Despite all other political parties on the Parliamentary committee agreeing with an extension, Labour used its absolute majority to block it.

“Labour also used its majority to prevent most of the 16,000 people and organisations who made submissions collected by the National Party, from making an oral submission.

“It is clear that thousands of Kiwis oppose this reform which Labour has doubled down on by pushing through Parliament as quickly as possible. The Government cares more about getting the Three Waters reforms out of the public eye than listening to the legitimate concerns of New Zealanders.

“A Parliamentary committee will now spend only four days travelling the country to hear submissions in-person from concerned communities.

“Astoundingly, advertising has already begun to fill executive positions in the water service entities, before the committee has heard a single submission.

“This arrogant Government has predetermined the outcome of the consultation and is treating public submissions as nothing more than a rubber stamping exercise.

“National will repeal these broken reforms and will listen to New Zealanders, not shut them out.”