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February 17, 2023
Māori voice needed in water infrastructure rebuild
Adam Gifford
Posted On February 17, 2023
Download AudioNgati Kahungunu chair Bayden Barber says Maori need to be at the table when decisions are made about rebuilding infrastructure after this week’s devastating floods in Hawke’s Bay.
Mr Barber, who also sits on the Hastings District Council, says ratepayers can’t afford the sort of systems that will be needed, which is why Labour’s three waters reforms were necessary.
He says many marae and Maaori communities are built next to main rivers for historic reasons, but changes in land use made them vulnerable.
“It really is a disgrace and we need to do better so whether it’s Labour, National or whoever in Government, Maori need to be a key contributor to where we go and what we do with our waterways,” Mr Barber says.
He says the opposition to three waters coming from National seems to be about denying Maori a voice rather than putting upa credible alternative to building water infrastructure.
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