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DARK SECRETS: Three waters - The Real Truth

On water reform National and Act are sailing on same course

National has committed to repeal Labour’s Three Waters legislation in its first 100 days, but legislation for a replacement regime will be needed quickly, writes Dr Eric Crampton

Newsroom.co.nz

International ratings agency warns of impact of repealing Three Waters

Politicians were talking on the campaign trail about central government debt, but the real problem is with soaring council debt. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Former PM: Unauthorised Three Waters changes are 'serious' and warrant review

Parliament must scrutinise its methods and procedures to avoid officials 'cutting corners', says Sir Geoffrey Palmer

Newsroom.co.nz

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Govt agrees to let councils retain water contractors

Mayors welcome Three Waters concession so most council-controlled contractors will remain council-controlled.

Newsroom.co.nz

Budget: Time to pay the piper for Three Waters IT system

The Government goes into this week's Budget with a list of $16 billion in quantifiable contingent liabilities; some costs may never transpire but some will now come due

Newsroom.co.nz

Move over, bad old boys

If Westland politics was once the province of oafish blokes who paid the niceties no heed, things have changed since last year’s local elections.

Newsroom.co.nz

Water reforms cost more than money – there's a cost to community cohesion

Another day, another Three Waters announcement. A generation on from the Mangawhai fiasco, NZ is dithering over fixes to rundown drinking water and wastewater plants and pipes – everybody wants control, nobody wants the bill. But one way or the other, we'll all pay.

Newsroom.co.nz

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Credit agency warns NZers are blind to 'astronomical' costs of fixing Three Waters

Bigger councils are building 'gold-plated' plants because their ratepayers won't have to pick up the tab; smaller councils are nervous about being amalgamated and shut down. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Councils say Three Waters erodes flood response

Local authorities claim the government’s water reforms will rob them of civil defence capacity.

Newsroom.co.nz

It's near impossible to get good data on water use in New Zealand. This raises questions about public accountability

As New Zealand’s new Prime Minister Chris Hipkins embarks on reprioritising policies to focus on “bread and butter issues”, the details of the contentious Three Waters reforms remain unclear.

The Conversation

If councils retain Three Waters, how much more will they have to raise rates?

We continue our 12 questions about Three Waters. If the assets remain on council balance sheets, communities will pay the price – quite literally.

Newsroom.co.nz

Driving through water reforms in new special purpose vehicles

We continue our 12 questions about Three Waters. Could the infrastructure be routinely placed in new 'special purpose vehicles' like those being used to finance housing at Orewa and roading in Tauranga?

Newsroom.co.nz

Three Waters' magical kete with room to borrow more and more

On the third day of Christmas, we continue our 12 questions about Three Waters. Compared to existing council debt caps, how can Government reforms give both the water corporations and the councils increased headroom to borrow?

Newsroom.co.nz

Racism gets in the way of all our good health

Government could have had a better plan to ensure public had a good idea of the problems Three Waters policy was solving, and getting in front of racist narratives, says Jess Berentson-Shaw

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Wayne Brown’s red letter days

With council-controlled organisations firmly in his sights, new mayor Wayne Brown is sending letters to their leaders with some ambitious marching orders

Newsroom.co.nz

Newsroom survey reveals two faces of local change

A Newsroom survey of 220 newly-elected mayors and councillors discloses a massive challenge to reconcile their plans for transport, housing and Three Waters with those of the Government.

Newsroom.co.nz

Local government reform advice under wraps until after council elections

By postponing draft recommendations, residents are denied the chance to vote on the key question: can small communities make big decisions on complex systems?

Newsroom.co.nz

New Three Waters bill fails to provide final privatisation safeguard

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Ratings agency says Govt will bail out Three Waters corporations in a crisis

Local councils can have their cake and drink it too, writes Jonathan Milne, as ratings agency agrees to council and iwi approving strategic direction of Three Waters entities.

Newsroom.co.nz

Moves to put people before process in reforms

A new Deloitte report highlights how governments can do a better job of engaging the community in reforms like Three Waters.

Newsroom.co.nz

$6b Budget spending will show if Govt can take tough decisions to win an election

The Labour Party’s must abandon pet projects dear to its heart like Three Waters, the health reforms and restructuring Oranga Tamariki.

Newsroom.co.nz

Dirty water and divisive politics: Three Waters reforms taken to court

The council leading a legal challenge to the Government's Three Waters reforms is adamant its case won't be muddied by the discoloured drinking water that flows from its own taps.

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