Submission on the Local Government ( Auckland Law reform) Bill

A not for profit incorporated society, Water New Zealand promotes and enables the sustainable management and development of the water environment. With 1500 members Water New Zealand’s membership is large and diverse, including Territorial Local Authorities, Council Controlled Organisations, water and wastes services providers, the major consultancies involved in providing engineering, planning and research services to the industry, Crown and other research institutes involved in the water and wastes environment, academia, members of the legal fraternity and training providers.

Water New Zealand supports in general the reorganisation of Auckland governance and has previously submitted to this Committee on the earlier Auckland bills, particularly in relation to the management and regulation of the proposed monopoly water supplier. We note the new structures proposed for Auckland could well be emulated elsewhere and it is therefore critical the Auckland model be as effective and robust one as possible.

We would now offer to the Committee comment on specific matters in relation to that supplier contained in this Bill, draw your attention to an apparent drafting error in the Bill, and address matters around stormwater management.