May 16, 2023
Hokianga protest shows need for water reform
Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis says yesterday’s protest in Rawene against extending the consents for wastewater discharges into Hokianga Harbour is the sort of situation the three waters reform was aimed at stopping.
A boisterous crowd off about 200 people took part in the protest at the start of a hearing by Northland Regional Council commissioners into the Far North District Council’s application to continue dumping treated sewage from plants at Ōpononi-Ōmāpere, Rāwene and Kohukohu.
Mr Davis says without reform, Far North ratepayers face massive increases to deal with infrastructure that is stuck in the last century.
“We’re no longer calling it three waters. We’re calling it affordable water reforms because the government is taking away from the district councils all of those liabilities such as the ones we’re talking about. So people say ‘you’re stealing assets.’ No, we’re taking away the liabilities and fixing up the sewage treatment plants is one of those liabilities we’re fixing up,” he says.
Mr Davis says he’s sympathetic to the aim of the protest.