NZ needs strong protection against water privatisation

New Zealanders deserve strong protection against the future privatisation of water assets, the Green Party says.

“The only way to guarantee a water secure future for our kids is to keep infrastructure and services in public ownership – and to protect this principle in law,” says the Green Party local government spokesperson Eugenie Sage. 

“The Greens and Labour amended the three waters legislation last week to provide an additional layer of protection against privatisation of three waters assets by a future government. The change would help ensure water services are managed in a way that benefits everyone and upholds Te Tirti o Waitangi.

“We agree that entrenchment should be done only for matters of utmost importance. Retaining the public ownership of water assets meets this threshold.

“We know from experience that once a critical infrastructure asset is privatised, or partially privatised, it is very hard to bring it back into public ownership. That’s why New Zealanders deserve additional protection for our three waters assets. If these additional protections are removed, New Zealand risks a future government privatising three waters assets with a simple majority.

“New Zealanders should be able to be confident water services will always remain in public ownership, regardless of who’s in Government. How best to protect essential public assets and services from privatisation is an important conversation. We’re glad to have started this discussion and hope it can continue.

“At the same time, New Zealanders should be extremely concerned about National’s track record on privatisation and be asking why they are so opposed to protecting public ownership of water assets in law. 

“National has a terrible track record of acting in their own self-interest - and not managing public assets for the benefits of everyone. The previous National Government, for example, brazenly ignored the result of a public referendum and went ahead and partially privatised state owned energy assets. 

“Water services are essential for communities, public health and wellbeing, better environmental outcomes, housing, and resilience to climate change and natural hazards. It is far better to make sure that any future decision to take these out of public management carries the support of a large majority of New Zealanders.

“The requirement that there be a 60 percent majority of Parliament in favour of any changes to the public ownership of water assets means the Government of the day would be required to build political support and consensus - preventing privatisation of precious water assets with a simple majority. This would be a democratic way of upholding the very strong public support for public ownership,” says Eugenie Sage.

Latest Environment Announcements

Story

Forestry sector must compensate for slash damage

The Green Party welcomes today’s release of the report of the Ministerial Inquiry into slash and sediment, and are clear that the forestry industry...
Read More

Story

Greens launch petition to protect conservation lands from mining by Mineralogy International Limited

The Green Party has today launched a petition calling for conservation land to be protected from mining by big overseas companies such as Mineralog...
Read More

Story

National's drought of ideas won't help farmers facing climate change

Christopher Luxon and the National Party have once again presented another lazy, back-of-the-napkin policy to Aotearoa.
Read More

Story

Freshwater crisis needs stronger government action

New Zealand’s rivers, lakes and freshwater are in crisis and there needs to be a more ambitious Government plan to clean them up and protect agains...
Read More

Story

Greens welcome waste strategy release and work

The Green Party is today welcoming the release of the Government’s waste strategy, but says it has a big gap without action on the container return...
Read More

Story

Nature missing in RMA reform

The Government has missed a crucial opportunity to redesign the resource management system with climate and nature at its heart. 
Read More