A partnership between two councils to address their water infrastructure challenges should be welcomed, and shows that voluntary alternatives to the Government’s forced asset grab are indeed practical and realistic, National’s Local Government spokesperson Christopher Luxon says.

“The collaborative arrangement between the Ōtorohanga and Waipā councils to improve their Three Waters services will create huge benefits for both their communities.

“The partnership will improve customer service, enable infrastructure improvement, generate financial efficiencies and, importantly, deliver savings for ratepayers.

“This kind of deal is exactly what National has been encouraging as a realistic alternative to the broken entity model that the Labour Government is forcing on every council in New Zealand.

“Instead of Labour’s asset grab, National would instead encourage councils to collaborate, contract, or form sub-regional Council Controlled Organisations that are big enough to deliver real efficiencies but small enough to remain local and accountable.

“There are plenty of councils open to these kinds of arrangements and, ultimately, it should be for those councils and their communities to decide how they improve their water infrastructure – not the Beehive.

“While partnerships like this one are heartening to see, it’s still extremely concerning that Labour remains hell-bent on ramming its asset grab plan through despite overwhelming public opposition.

“National will continue to stand up for local control and decision-making, and support practical policy solutions. We know that councils know their communities best.”

The Waipā District Council’s statement can be found here.