About 120 people braved frigid conditions in Rotorua to protest the Government's Three Waters reforms.
Organised by the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union alongside local group Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers, the convoy, which snaked through Rotorua from Te Puia to Government Gardens, was the latest of about 44 stops on a nationwide "roadshow" campaign.
The reform would create four new water entities responsible for the Three Waters – drinking, waste and stormwater.
Taxpayers' Union spokesman Jordan Williams told Local Democracy Reporting the purpose of the campaign was "doing what the Government isn't" by listening to locals' concerns.
He said the reform would mean a "loss of local control" and increased bureaucracy, as well as higher water costs, flowing on to higher rates.
Williams said ratepayers would get a better service from calling the council "down the road" than a new regional entity.
Taxpayers' Union spokesman Jordan Williams. Photo / Andrew Warner
Under the proposal, Rotorua would fall into Water Entity B, which would comprise 22 territorial local authorities (TLAs), including Rotorua Lakes Council.
The authorities would collectively appoint five or six members to the regional representative group, as would mana whenua.
The regional representative group would in turn appoint an independent selection panel, which itself would appoint and monitor the entity's governance board.
The board would be accountable to the regional representative group.
Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers chairman Reynold Macpherson – who is also a district councillor - told the assembled protesters the reform was "so contrary to public interest" and harmful to democracy.
He described the reform as a "confiscation" of assets and said in his view the modelling the Government relied on as a justification for the reform was "unreliable".
Councillor candidate Robert Lee said he believed the reform and its co-governance element could mean "mana whenua decide everything".
Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers chairman Reynold Macpherson. Photo / Andrew Warner
Reporoa Residents and Ratepayers Association committee secretary Karen Barker told the crowd she believed the reform would result in a "multi-layered bureaucracy" with those in power appointed, not elected.
"Rotorua will be one drop in a big bucket [as part of Entity B]."
She called on those gathered to put more pressure on the council to oppose the reforms.
Department of Internal Affairs Three Waters reform programme executive director Hamiora Bowkett said the department had engaged with local government, iwi and water industry representatives for four years.
"Everyone agrees that the status quo is not acceptable."
He said the plans were underpinned by "strong analysis by international experts" and "absolutely" stood up to scrutiny and peer review.
"This analysis demonstrates that all New Zealand households will benefit from reform wherever they live, through increased investment in infrastructure driving improved services and more affordable charges than would otherwise be the case."
Bowkett said the reform plans were consistent with "effective successful reforms" in other countries in recent years.
"The new water services entities will be held accountable to their customers on pricing and the quality of services more rigorously than current providers of these services are."
He urged the public to have their say by making a submission to the select committee and to seek out factual information about the reforms on the department's website.
The protest gathered at Rotorua's Government Gardens. Photo / Andrew Warner
Deputy mayor Dave Donaldson said the council would review its position on the reforms at a full council meeting on Thursday and he would reserve any comments for that discussion.
The council organisation did not wish to respond to the claims made at the protest.
It is expected the campaign will visit six more towns and cities, before concluding at Kerikeri on July 3.
Local Democracy Reporting is public interest journalism funded by NZ On Air.
