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New Zealand First Northland candidate Shane Jones says co-governance has become an issue this election because Labour tried to go too far too fast on water infrastructure reform.
Mr Jones rejects claims there is widespread race baiting in the election campaign, saying there have been a few incidents at events that unwisely were being held in pubs.
He says having hapu and iwi involved in governance of water utilities is an option, but the Government needed to explain its position and secure a mandate from voters.
“And if you don’t do that because you’re not confident, then your idea should fail rather than flourish but no, what Nanaia Mahuta did is that she, in this very stealthy way, introduced co-governance into three waters, designed from my perspective predominantly to advance the interests of Waikato over the future of Waikato River, and I can think of no other single issue in rural New Zealand that is going to bring the Government to its knees than this issue,” Mr Jones says.
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