Opinion: Let's hear more on the Water Central projects

Water - a hot political issue in Hastings. Photo / Paul Taylor

It seems the Water Central cat is out of the bag, and on emerging from the bag it leapt amongst the pigeons.

Hastings District Council has a proposal to build a water museum, and two water reservoirs. It didn't want to consult with the public until after the election.

It is a fair guess that our local body politicians didn't want anything controversial out and about pre-election, in case it affected their chances of getting elected.

Very open and transparent.

However, the water proposal leaked.

Journalists are routinely given information in confidence.

It is not unusual. And we do not publish such information recklessly - it needs to be assessed and the source verified.

Is the water museum proposal information harmful to any individual?

Our assessment was no and it is in the public interest to publish the story.

Particularly when the HDC is also looking at constructing two water reservoirs.

Water is arguably the hottest issue in Hawke's Bay.

Its use, its storage, its availability via natural resources, its quality - water is of massive public interest in this region.

Hence it has also become an election issue.

Does it matter that the information has been released early?

No. Unfortunately for the HDC, political preferences as to what information is in the public domain are not a factor that influence mainstream media.

If it was, journalism would have disappeared down the gurgler a long time ago and "news" would be the gossip and chat you see on social media pages where like-minded people congregate in echo chambers.

We are interested in all views on the water museum and water reservoirs proposals, for and against.

It is a leak that is not going back in the barrel, so now that the idea has been floated, let's hear from our politicians on the merits for or against such a proposal.

Because many are wondering, a water museum? How would that work and in what corner would the potential elephant in the room - the Havelock North water crisis - sit.

Or perhaps within the museum a fitting tribute to the victims of the crisis could be made?

Lots of questions. Hopefully the political pigeons settle and we get to hear more.