Taupō Mayor David Trewavas has waded into the current debate on water management, backing “calls by other mayors” for a referendum on the Three Waters proposals.

Other Waikato mayors weren’t clamouring to leap on the referendum waka however, but echoed concerns on consultation.

Trewavas flagged the referendum idea on Tuesday calling for a back paddle to allow for more deliberations on the changes.

The government had to give councils time for consultation before they decided whether to ‘opt in’, said Trewavas.

He feared signing up to one of the four large water management entities would become mandatory.

“I would see that as a totally unconstitutional decision. The assets that they are talking about have been paid for by communities, not by government, and as such it must be a voluntary thing.”

The spectre of compulsion was already looming, said Waikato District Mayor Allan Sanson, with language from the government becoming increasingly more stern.

While his council would have its own issues, having three years ago signed a 28-year management agreement with Auckland’s Watercare – Sanson said he respected other councils that wanted “to hang on to their sovereign right to operate their own water systems...”

“I’d hate to think they ever got bulldozed into something they didn’t want to be part of. It’s going to be bloody interesting over the next few months.”

He got the sense that the government was “busting their necks to get this legislation for change in front of parliament by the end of this year.”

He felt the Department of Internal Affairs had tripped up in not realising a council decision on Three Waters would trigger a council’s significance policy – requiring formal district-wide consultation.

“They weren’t recommending that we do any consultation at all… so that’s another fly in the ointment at the moment, as to the time it takes.”

Both DIA and LGNZ confirmed they were currently seeking legal opinions on the issue of ‘significance’.

While Jason Krupp of LGNZ said theirs was due shortly, LGNZ was 99 per cent sure a change of such size would hit the significance threshold.

“At some point they are going to have to consult… but they have to wait until there is a choice in front of them.”

Waitomo Mayor John Robertson said his council had no formal position on the proposals yet, and he had no view on a referendum, but he was scathing of the business case that had been put before councils so far – for the largest local body reforms since 1989.

“The case has been dribbled out over many months, option analysis is missing, and as David says, the latest assumptions are notable for their lack of substance and testing.”

“I chaired the mayoral forum in Auckland before amalgamation took place. That reform was complex, but not as complex or significant as the proposed Three Waters Reform. For Auckland, a Royal Commission was set up by the Labour government in 2007. It reported back two years later – to a National government. Reform then took place, with robust evidence and reasoning.”

Mayors, chief executives and water staff from the 22 councils in Entity B are meeting in Taupō next week for initial discussions about the water reform proposals.

The reforms envision four large water entities: A encompassing Northland and Auckland, B covering the centre of the North Island as well as Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty, C taking in the east coast down to Wellington, plus Nelson and Marlborough, while D covers the rest of the South Island.

Credit: Stuff.co.nz