The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

Public will get say on Three Waters, Ruapehu mayor Don Cameron says

Staff Reporter
Whanganui Chronicle·
27 Aug, 2021 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Ruapehu District Council has its main office in Taumarunui. Photo / Moana Ellis

Ruapehu District Council has its main office in Taumarunui. Photo / Moana Ellis

Ruapehu Mayor Don Cameron says there will be public consultation on the Government's three waters reforms but the council is still assessing what impact the proposals will have.

"The Department of Internal Affairs has provided some information specific to Ruapehu's situation that council is still working through to assess its impact on us and the community," Cameron said.

Ruapehu District Council has until the end of September to provide feedback to Government.

It will then consider next steps, including consultation.

The three-year reform programme proposes to move New Zealand water assets into a small number of publicly owned multi-regional entities.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The local government sector has sought advice from Simpson Grierson, and the firm's advice is that it would be premature to consult ratepayers.

"We should spend this time fully understanding all the information so we can best advise and consult with the community when more complete information is at hand," Cameron said.

Some councils are already seeking community views, but all are at different points in the process and in evaluation of their specific offer from Government.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Ruapehu has decided not to consult the community yet, but it has been discussing its water situation for years. It was highlighted in its 2018-28 Long Term Plan and the move to district-wide water rates.

Government's reform proposals can be seen as a move to multi-regional water rating to address the ever-growing affordability issues, Cameron said.

Government is currently giving councils the ability to opt out of the reform process, but this may change if larger councils pull out. The benefits of the reforms are predicated on gaining economies of scale and if larger councils pull out these could be lost.

"We believe the best process is for council to continue to work with Government on clarifying the remaining issues such as how to ensure the local voice is heard in decision making and clarity on the ownership of the assets before we commence a community consultation process - assuming this is still an option after Government has decided the next steps," Cameron said.

Discover more

Mayors raise questions and concerns about Three Waters

30 Jun 05:00 AM

There is information on official websites such as threewaters.govt.nz, dia.govt.nz and lgnz.co.nz, but many details on key issues are still to come.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country
|Updated

Heavy rain and storms set to batter northern North Island

23 Sep 05:00 PM
The Country

New initiative to address training barriers for rural and Pacific workers

23 Sep 04:00 AM
The Country

How this forestry boss helped change the future for NZ falcons

23 Sep 03:29 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

Heavy rain and storms set to batter northern North Island
The Country
|Updated

Heavy rain and storms set to batter northern North Island

Thunderstorms and localised downpours are expected across Northland this morning.

23 Sep 05:00 PM
New initiative to address training barriers for rural and Pacific workers
The Country

New initiative to address training barriers for rural and Pacific workers

23 Sep 04:00 AM
How this forestry boss helped change the future for NZ falcons
The Country

How this forestry boss helped change the future for NZ falcons

23 Sep 03:29 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP