$16m spent on Three Waters consultants

WELLINGTON: The Government spent more than $16 million on the services of contractors and consultants for its Three Waters reform programme last financial year.

It is a price tag that is being questioned by the Opposition.

But the Department of Internal Affairs’ (DIA) local government deputy chief executive Michael Lovett said such spending was warranted, given the scale and scope of the Three Water’s project.

‘‘Much of this work is of a oneoff nature and demands specialist skills.

‘‘It is reasonable and necessary in that context to use contractors and consultants in addition to employed staff,’’ Mr Lovett said.

The Water Services Entities (Three Waters) Bill was introduced in early June, and passed its first reading a week later.

It is currently in front of MPs at the governance and administration select committee.

If passed, the legislation would amalgamate the management of drinking, waste and stormwater services from the 67 councils in New Zealand into four new regional water entities — cogoverned by councils and Maori.

The National Party is against the policy and has promised to scrap the reforms if it wins the general election next year.

National local government spokesman Simon Watts was unhappy with much of the $16.3 million bill for the 202122 financial year.

Specifically, he questioned the $14,500 bill for the ‘‘CE position description development’’.

‘‘This Labour Government seems to think that money grows on trees from the amount they are spending writing on job descriptions,’’ Mr Watts said.

According to the DIA, chief executives are required to be appointed for each of the four local establishment entities.

‘‘There was a requirement to define the chief executive role and produce position descriptions that reflected the requirements of the role in each geographic area, including accountabilities and required skills, experience, and personal attributes.’’

Some $115,000 was also spent on a ‘‘virtual Australian roadshow’’.

Another $42,000 was spent on a ‘‘communications reset’’ — after councils and public feedback revealed the reforms had not ‘‘communicated the detail of the water reforms in a way that explains what the reforms are’’.

In its March annual review by the governance and administration select committee, the amount of money DIA was paying consultants to work on the reforms was sharply in focus.

‘‘The department acknowledged that it is unusual for it to be spending that sum for consultants on a programme of work,’’ the report said.

The reforms are meant to be in place by July, 1, 2024.

Mr Lovett was anticipating more money would be spent on hiring more consultants during this financial year. —