Joint Three Waters Steering Committee Update - 26 June 2020

For current information go to: Water Services Policy and Legislation (Updated February 2024)

• Steering Committeee statement announcing formation (DOCX, 106KB)
• Steering Committeee statement announcing formation (PDF, 106KB)

Central/Local Government Three Waters Steering Committee formed

Tēnā koutou katoa,

• The Society of Local Government Managers, Local Government New Zealand, the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Treasury have formed a Steering Committee that will work in partnership to provide oversight and guidance to support progress towards reform of three waters services.
• The Steering Committee will meet fortnightly and will provide regular updates to you as local government Mayors, Chairs and Chief Executives through this channel. If you have any questions or comments for the Steering Committee you may email them to this mailbox.
• The contents of this email can be shared, as you consider appropriate, with elected members and staff (including Infrastructure and Water Services Managers). Sensitive material will be sent separately and marked NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION.

Joint Central/Local Government Three Waters Steering Committee formed

• At the recent Central/Local Government Forum, Central and Local Government leadership discussed the challenges facing water service delivery and infrastructure and committed to continue working jointly on reform.
• This has led to the formation of a joint Three Waters Steering Committee (see attached) to provide oversight and guidance to support progress towards reform, and to assist in engaging with local government, iwi and other water sector stakeholders on options and proposals.
• These challenges include under-investment in three waters infrastructure in parts of New Zealand and persistent affordability challenges; and the need for additional investment to meet improvements in freshwater outcomes, increase resilience to climate change and natural hazards, and enhance community wellbeing.
• The Steering Committee will ensure that the perspectives, interests and expertise of central and local government, and of communities throughout New Zealand, are considered as the broader challenges facing local government water services and infrastructure are addressed.
• This will involve periods of engagement, including an initial series of webinars and workshops with local government most likely in July this year. We will provide details of these in the near future.

The Steering Committee comprises:

Independent Chair: Brian Hanna

Local Government: Rachel Reese (Mayor, Nelson City Council), Alex Walker (Mayor, Central Hawke's Bay District Council), Stuart Crosby (Councillor, Bay of Plenty Regional Council), Bayden Barber (Councillor, Hastings District Council), Vaughan Payne (Chief Executive, Waikato Regional Council) , Monique Davidson (Chief Executive, Central Hawke’s Bay), Pat Dougherty (Chief Executive, Nelson City Council), Hamish Riach (‎Chief Executive - ‎Ashburton District Council), Steve Ruru (Chief Executive Officer - Southland District Council), Miriam Taris (Chief Executive, Western Bay of Plenty District Council), Heather Shotter (‎Chief Executive Officer - ‎Palmerston North City Council), Alastair Cameron (CCO Governance and External Partnerships, Auckland Council), Craig McIlory (‎General Manager Healthy Waters - ‎Auckland Council).

Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM): Karen Thomas (Chief Executive), Kevin Lavery

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ): Jason Krupp (Deputy Chief Executive Advocacy)

Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) officials and advisors: Paul James (Chief Executive, DIA, Secretary for Local Government), Allan Prangnell, Richard Ward, Michael Chatterley, Nick Davis, Natalie McClew

Taumata Arowai: Bill Bayfield (Establishment Chief Executive)

The Treasury: Morgan Dryburgh

 

Three Waters Steering Committee

Email: 3WatersSteeringGroup@dia.govt.nz