Ratepayer Letters re Three Waters
(The opinion in these letters is that of the writer)
20 September 2021
Update by Ross Steele
Below is my submission that I was permitted to convey to the Commissioners and some Council staff this morning.
The Three Waters part arrived on the agenda at 12.24pm.
So, from Commissioner Tolley.
Significant reform is happening by Govt. The Commissioners are working with other BOP and Waikato Councils regarding design, consequences, proposals etc. They have not been asked to made a decision yet, rather gather information and give feedback to Marhooter. They can't answer all the questions that they are getting from ratepayers. The Govt. have been made aware of the consequences should 3 waters proceed. Council is trying to prepare ahead if 3 waters happen. They are trying to be transparent.!! They will report to Mahuta what the community has to say early October.
From Commissioner Wasley.
The previous Council last year resolved to get involved with Waikato Councils. Stuart Crosby of Local Govt. NZ has articulated concerns of LGNZ over the water reforms. (And ... I thought that he was for it.??) Council were keen to do two pop-up meetings but they were cancelled due to Covid.
From Commissioner Selwood via. Zoom.
He spoke of the benefit of the $48 million from Govt being quite substantial. (More bullshit).!!!! Great for capital investment going forward. He said that the impact on ratepayers need to be clearly understood ... and that ratepayers should see some of the risks if 3 waters doesn't proceed.
Commissioner Rolleston ... nowhere to be seen. Missing in action.
From TCC Nic Johanssen He believed that 3 waters is not well understood. (Understandable.. it's THEFT.) He believes that 3 waters has not been well explained by Govt. He commented that waste water is running at full capacity. He will have the financials ready, ( I assume about 3 waters for the next meeting of 4th October.)
There have been 200 pieces of feedback received from the Council website.
Tolley then moved that the 3 waters update be received. Seconded.
There will be a full report to Council for the 4th October meeting with community and Maori feedback. Ratepayer feedback will apparently will be available to be read on the Council website.
Finished at 12.41pm.
Submission to TCC Council Chambers 20 September 2021
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Commissioners, thank you for the opportunity to speak here today.
Good morning, my name is Ross Steele. I have been a ratepayer in this city for some forty plus years. I am PASSIONATE ... about Tauranga.!!
Minister Mahuta on behalf of this current Government, is trying to strongarm 67 local Authorities throughout New Zealand, to give up all their water related assets and infrastructure for a mere pittance of the true value of those assets. Here in Tauranga, that offer is a mere $48,405,014 of financial support, made available between 2022 to 2024. My understanding is that the water related assets of this city are valued in the region of $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion. Yes ... BILLION.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT ... is an INSULT.!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Commissioners, you have been charged by Minister Mahuta to govern this city in the absence of a Mayor and Councillors.
You have been appointed to make good decisions on behalf of its ratepayers.
You are required to engage with the community openly and honestly, and act with absolute integrity and transparency.
You have a moral obligation to look after the assets of the Tauranga City Council on behalf of its ratepayers.
My belief is, that you are caretakers of Tauranga City Council, and at an absolute minimum, I DEMAND ... that you hold a binding REFERENDUM, on the topic of Three Waters and let ALL ratepayers say if they wish to be part of this Three Waters proposal, or not.
I consider the offer by Minister Mahuta of $48 million, to be nothing more than THEFT.!!!!!!!! I challenge you four Commissioners to act with absolute INTEGRITY, and say NO ... to central Government, and "OPT OUT" of the Three Waters proposal.
Point 11 in the Three Waters Entity B Survey (as at 10/9/2021). I have read that the new entity will reduce Capex and Opex by 50%. Does the Council really believe this? The only way to reduce costs is by reducing wages. On page number 114 of today's agenda, it reads "Central Government need to just get on and make it happen". WHO ... has the mandate to write this?
Yes, you have sought community feedback on Three Waters, BUT, the only way forward is for a BINDING REFERENDUM.!!!!!!
I challenge you four Commissioners and Council staff to do what is right for the ratepayers, who have over many many years, paid for those water related assets and infrastructure.
THEY ARE NOT YOURS TO GIVE AWAY.!!!!!!!!!!!!! Remember, it's the ratepayers who pay the wages for everyone in this room.!!
Thank you for the time to be able to present this submission.!!!!
20 September 2021
Hello, my name is Lynne Moore.
I am here today to be heard as a ratepayer and as a part owner of the water systems that we the ratepayers pay TCC to look after on our behalf.
We currently have a system that provides our people with all our water facilities, it is not an old system, it is well maintained and upgraded when needs required.
Commissioners - I am disgusted that you think you have the right to give away assets that belong to the ratepayers of Tauranga, with little consultation with the people who actually own these assets - the ratepayers !
Who would think that any business entity would accept such a one sided proposal is beyond belief - $48 million for assets worth $1.6 billion.
TCC is a business - you have a billing process to ratepayers, debts, expenses, budgets, a balance sheet, a P&L - you are accountable for this.
To even consider such a proposal, in my mind is not acceptable and I am sure a lot of other people will agree with me.
If a proposal of this nature came across my desk, after 40 odd years in businesses, I would laugh. I would consider this to be an April Fools day joke because this is what it is - a joke !!
No like minded business people would even consider this.
So commissioners - why are you even considering this ??
I demand that a referendum is held so that the people of Tauranga can speak and be heard - something that has really not been done to date.
In closing, please do what you are paid to do - first and foremost - represent the people in Tauranga.
Kind Regards
Lynne Moore
14 September 2021
Dear Commissioners,
As a ratepayer of some forty plus years in Tauranga, I write to you about my concerns on the above topic, by what Local Government Minister Mahuta is trying to enforce on all Councils throughout New Zealand.
You have been charged with the task by that same Minister, to govern the Tauranga City Council in the absence of an elected Mayor and councillors.
I would like to remind you all, as to some of your responsibilities.
You have been appointed to make good decisions on behalf of the city and its ratepayers.
You are required to engage with the community openly and honestly, and act with integrity and transparency.
You have a moral obligation to look after the assets of the Tauranga City Council, on behalf of the ratepayers.
With respect to the water related assets of the Tauranga City Council, I, and many ratepayers will be DISGUSTED ... if you should hand these assets over to central Government.!!! In my eyes, I would consider that as THEFT. I challenge the four of you, to act with absolute integrity and say NO ... to central Government over this issue.
As I understand, a few Local Authorities have indicated that they wish to opt out of the proposal. I implore you to do the same.
I welcome your response.
Regards,
Ross Steele.
Ratepayer.
13th September 2021
Letter to Tauranga City Commissioners
Subject – Three Waters Reform
As a long term citizen and ratepayer of Tauranga and further to my mail to you on Monday, 6th September 2021 regarding the Three Waters Reform, I wish to voice my continued concern to the commissioners.
I understand that the Government specifically, Minister Nanaia Mahuta, the Minister for Local Government and the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern have created and delivered a document (one of many for the Three Waters Reform) – “Three Waters Guidance for Councils”.
I have previously made reference to the Commissioners in regard to literature on Three Waters Reform voicing deep concern about it. The Government clearly has intent to sell New Zealanders and Council’s Three Waters Reform without sound reason, and lack of factual information adding infantile false propaganda to their campaign.
· The Government’s propaganda campaign with media, TV, web site displaying total misinformation, completely unqualified and without scrutiny from factual information sources.
· The Government has never had a mandate to completely overhaul a strategic utility that is not broken and only requires normal maintenance with upgrades.
· Can the Government “please explain” why this ridiculous reform is being pushed through without public consultation.
· Is this reform a result of a (very few) councils three waters issues? They “do not” represent all of New Zealand and definitely NOT Tauranga three waters.
· Is the Governments true agenda to eventually gift the water resources of New Zealand to Maori / iwi. There is considerable reference made to Maori/iwi. We need the truth.
· Why is the Government continually including Maori/iwi in all the information propaganda? Any public information should engage all New Zealanders.
· How can an undemocratic selection of commissioners installed by Minister Mahuta have a right to make any decisions for a large scale utility infrastructure that Tauranga has with its Three Waters?
· Why are the Tauranga commissioners in consultation with other Councils and regions? The matter is for Tauranga ratepayers and residents consultation.
· The Tauranga commissioners state “The Three Waters Reform offers an opportunity to create an effective delivery model”. How can these statements be made when Tauranga has a second to none three waters utility in place now.
· Where is the economic sense in gifting away a $1.3 billion asset built and paid for by Tauranga rate payers over 60 years with an insulting offer of $48 million as an enticement? This is economically bad practice without fundamental common sense and a long term disaster for our city.
· Why are the commissioners saying they are “offering communities to provide local input” when on the last consultation process the ONLY community groups consulted were local iwi and the Chamber of Commerce. They do not represent Tauranga rate payers or residence. This Government led initiative must be taken to a public referendum for a true and democratic outcome.
· Commissioners say they are looking at issues they are raising with central Government.
A. “Protecting our water assets against privatisation”. Does this indicate they know something we do not, ie the water will be privatised to iwi control?
B. Clarifying “How the water assets are managed during a transition period”. Does this also indicate the commissioners have chosen an “opt in”?
· Why are the commissioners looking at potential impacts of the reform economic (the given numbers already show the disaster this is for Tauranga), social and cultural. (There is no social or cultural aspect to this nonsense. We are discussing water and pipes! There are no environmental aspirations of our communities. This is all a fairy tale trying to convert logical thinking people with transparent propaganda.
· The online survey form does not provide enough space for the citizen of Tauranga to explain their frustration to this crazy proposal.
· The commissioners ask what are the interests and involvement of iwi/Maori. They say “it will be a partnership with Tangata Whenua in accordance with the principals of the Treaty of Waitangi. This is a fabricated untruth and was nothing to do with a partnership that does not exist even in the Treaty. Reference to this is simply wrong. This matter is for all New Zealand citizens, in this case Tauranga citizens not “one” specific group.
· “A Change in Approach a Good Thing”? Let’s go back and remember what happened to Max Bradford’s electricity reforms. Now families struggle to pay this power bills. Suggesting the removal (theft) of Tauranga’s water utility allowing the newly formed “Taumata Aronai” crown entity specifically to administer the four regions giving this new probably over administered creation to be able to substantially borrow more money to invest in services. This is the most ridiculous dreamt up rubbish ever written.
Tauranga has survived extremely well for more than 60 years with an excellent water quality rated and well within the Health Department’ standards. We have personally commissioned and have results of high quality water from our taps with Tauranga’s previous councils over the 60 years diligently engineering top class treatment for water and sewerage, an excellent reticulation network with continual upgrade even today.
· The commissioners make it very clear that until central Government make a decision on Three Waters Reform then “A referendum is not applicable right now”. Are we missing something? Where is the public consultation in this?
· TV One News 11th September 2021 – When Minister Mahuta was questioned on the push back from local Councils about the Three Waters Reform, the Minister state “Yes, Councils were digging in” which she called “unfortunate”. “Certain local leaders, with the benefit of all the information on front of them, have not given the full information to their residents and ratepayers in a way that they can make a balance decision” she said.
In the first instance the Governments information is flawed and false, built on no scientific facts only models and assumptions not as should be, methodically thought out.
If the central Government make a decision to proceed with this idiotic race based reform it will be 100% guaranteed the commissioners for Tauranga will “opt in” and the Tauranga people will have no say in this extortion. The total concept of the Three Waters Reform is without question ill conceived, unfounded and without democracy. Never (apart from Bradford’s electricity reform) has there been a dumber idea from central Government. Wait till iwi get control and start charging royalties.
Please “OPT OUT” of this nonsense for the future wellbeing of Tauranga and its people.
· From TV One Q&A Sunday, 12th September 2021, Minister Mahuta when questioned how many Councils had OPTED IN or OUT the Minister avoided the question and when asked if the Council’s all opted out “would the Government still legislate the reform through, she continued to avoid the question without answer. One can assume the Minister has not given up.
· According to Minister Mahuta this water reform was started four years ago – 2017. From this time the Labour Government have embarked on this Three Waters reform setting up a “steering group” engaging multiple “consultants”, a new crown entity “Taumata Aronai” and held a huge number of meetings with iwi. The question must be raised - what has been the cost of this exercise which was never called for?
Finally, as we see on TV every day “Some Good News”
My commentary on the Three Waters can definitely be expanded and much has been expertly voiced by others but I believe if one is going to be critical of something then practical, logical, common sense solutions must be offered in return.
Solutions “Tauranga”
As the city is faced with a ramping up population and growth we should not be financially penalising rate payers and residents that already live here. (Most for a life time).
Funding for the Future of the Tauranga Area
To keep in line with progress for “ALL” the infrastructure in Tauranga apply increased charges (I believe were called Contribution Funds) to a true and legitimate level to cover or more than cover costs to the city for
a. All new subdivisional proposals
b. All new commercial development proposals
c. Apply fair and acceptable staged rates increases to accommodate necessary city expenses (rather than land ratepayers with the likes of a recent 20% increase.)
Thank you for taking the time to read my concerns.
Ray Stevenson
Tauranga