Concern over Three Waters Bridge a test run
Two former district councillors, Stephen Palmer and Murray Hughes, expressed their concerns (Chronicle, January 11) re the central government Three Waters Programme.
Some wording in the reporting was misleading - but I can assure you that the Whanganui District Council has made no final commitment to either joining the scheme or passing over any assets.
Answers to your obvious questions are not forthcoming simply because Government has not detailed the proposals yet.
I do not believe that there is any support at the WDC for either subsidising other councils to install infrastructure or to handover control of the assets to a non-elected board - the example of Auckland’s Watercare is not a model that carries much appeal.
Central government has failed to sell the advantages of the proposal I suspect because it is struggling to understand the ramifications of such a radical shift in asset ownership themselves.
They are adopting an all in approach - and offering inducements (such as $6 million to the WDC) to join and then over the coming year attempting to produce a compelling argument to local authorities. If they are unconvinced then they can simply opt out.
Massive change such as this will not escape public consultation - we have to wait to hear the Governments proposal first to see if the benefits outweigh the risks.
ROB VINSEN Whanganui district councillor
The people say, ‘Ko au te awa. Ko te awa ko au’ (I am the river. The river is me). Te Awa Tupua, the Whanganui River, is a spiritual and physical entity, and enshrined in law, as a world first, with appointed guardians.
The 130m long suspension bridge known as the Upokongaro Bridge opened recently.
The Wairua river vessel with Captain Sam Mordey and me had that boat all to ourselves as we sailed back and forth under the bridge in our European waka.
Nought else was happening below at all, barring the Waimarie, whose captain made a lovely offer of a co-ordinated dual vessel pass underneath.
We will quickly forget the barrage of some savage social media pettiness and pathetic rants of racist rumouring, along with more barbs directed at council re: the whole process. In the end, local school children cut the ribbon and we have a stunning fifth bridge within our town’s borders.
Consultation with the guardians of the awa is enshrined by an act of Parliament. So why attack iwi? Why attack council and its at times seemingly clumsy baby steps to do the right thing under the law? They are learning. I am also. We all are.
Acknowledging Covid-19 and some redesign challenges, a consultation process needed to be tested, developed and worked through.
The new bridge was that test run if you will, and we should accept that whatever an architect and engineer’s design is currently (for the port and North Mole rejuvenation), that the process will apply, changes will be made, and that co-leadership as per the Te Tiriti o Waitangi is adhered to. Just saying.
ROSS FALLEN