A number of residents have emailed councillors asking for a referendum on the government’s proposed 3 Waters reform. This is how I replied to them:
Just by way of quick re-cap on Hutt City Council actions to date. When last year the four new water service entities were proposed, we had legal advice that as a Council we could not ‘opt in’ or ‘opt out’ on such a crucial issue without formal consultation with our residents. We waited to see the final form of the proposals so that we could do that consultation, and perhaps even hold a referendum. Then came the disappointing news the government had decided to make the reforms mandatory.
