The Star: September 16, 2021

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The Star Thursday September 16 2021 20 LETTERS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Readers respond to last week’s article on the proposed Three Waters reform and whether the city council residents’ survey should have had a yes or no question on the plan I am writing to express my strong opposition to the proposed Three Waters scheme. This proposal represents a terrible attack on our democratic process. This looks like an attempt to rush through the transfer of control of our $6.8 billion asset to an unelected body of Wellington bureaucrats who would not be accountable to us. I expect that the cost of our water would be increased every year and we would not be able to replace ineffective management, unlike what we enjoy now with the democratic process of electing city councillors. – Victoria Sinclair I am disappointed with the lack of basic information in the council survey and as noted no clear indication in favour or not, with a simple yes or no, which would be more balanced, as a survey rather than being loaded with nebulous irrelevances. It is obvious to many, that this is one of ‘Cindy’s’ ploys under her He Puapua 50/50 initiatives to gift these water resources to Maori. These resources have in reality been paid for by many generations of ratepayers. – A White I strongly oppose this asset grab on the grounds as a pensioner and the associated rate rise that will come. On a fixed income and continual rates, insurance, energy, food, transport cost increases, where is this money going to come from? The politics and racial discrimination on this topic are another matter altogether. – Peter Clark Even if the city council of the Three Waters and Waste requires more information before the yes/no option is included in the community survey, the constituents don’t. It is obvious what Minister Mahuta wants, especially so when she consistently refused to answer on Q&A, whether she would compulsorily take control of her Three Waters scheme, whether the constituents and the councils voted for her scheme or not. This means she is going to get her own way come what may. Fresh water is not owned by anyone, or possibly owned by all of us, not just a select few but that is not what the minister wants. So we need plain yes or no, and if the vote is no, and the city council votes no, Minister Mahuta is likely to invoke compulsory control and then give ultimate control to a nonelected organisation. Time will tell. – R Williams Please please don’t sell our local water assets to the state. We must keep control of our own affairs. If the state tries to run this it will fail or become such an expensive bureaucracy. It will also take more time for the council having to deal with another middle layer and iwi. I just can’t see any benefit. – Alan Roberts As a ratepayer I do not support the value proposition the Government is making for the three waters reform. Essentially they are proposing that they will purchase assets that have been paid for over generations by ratepayers for a fraction of their value. The water supply for Christchurch is pristine and unmatched and the city council should do everything in it’s power to maintain ownership and control of this asset for the benefit of the ratepayers and people of Christchurch. Central government has already demonstrated that they prefer a one-size fits all way of making decisions in relation to water (chlorine) which may have benefits in low quality rural water schemes but is entirely unnecessary for Christchurch. Central government has also consistently shown that consultation is a not process by which they listen to feedback. – Alan Geraghty Clearly the city council survey should have had a simple yes or no option/response to the planned water changes. My vote is for a very big no. Why would we possibly consider handing over $6.9 billion of water-based assets to a Government controlled board of one entity for 21 local authorities. This proposal is just so wrong. – Eric Dally SEPTEMBER 2021 24 SEPT - 3 OCT 2021 SEPTEMBER 2021 Head to a participating eatery over the festival, order the SCOFF special and bein to win great prizes including goody bags, vouchers and a weekend escape to South Canterbury. MACKENZIE · TIMARU · WAIMATE Learn more at scoffsc.nz EAT DRINK SAVOUR ENJOY
Thursday September 16 2021 The Star The article in The Star focused on whether there should have been a yes or no option in the city council survey. I think the biggest thing missing is why yes or no. My concern is that being part of a larger conglomerate will be the lack of control. We have beautiful clean water here that does not need chlorine, yet they will end up treating everywhere the same – which will mean permanent chlorination for Christchurch. We are having enough trouble getting rid of it even now – being one part of a larger organisation will mean no chance. We must stop these reforms. – Lindsay Sandford Expressing opinion I wish to thank The Star for publishing the readers’ letters on September 9. Mainstream media in New Zealand currently, don’t seem to be willing to discuss sensitive or controversial topics, so it is reassuring to me, that the views expressed in the letters, were published. I do agree with the thoughts of the your readers, particularly those of J. Stone. The ads he refers to as ‘childish and simplistic’, I think, are also deceitful and seemed to have a racial content, which I don’t think is acceptable. The control of all our water requirements should remain with the democratically elected councils and not divided up into tribal boundaries, and overseen by outside organisations. – Tom Delamore Lawnmower man attack ‘’We’re underage, we can do whatever we (expletive) like.’’ This is a quote from a teen offender on the front page of last week’s The Star. This is the attitude that has slowly but steadily grown over decades. An attitude that undermines the values, culture and traditions of New Zealanders. No longer do children respect elders or their own parents when they have been told that their rights supersede parental guidance/wishes and discipline has become a bad word. Children can now choose health procedures without parental consent or knowledge. Our governments over the years have taken away parental rights but not parental responsibility to care for our children. We cannot then be surprised by young offenders believing they are entitled to do as they please as youth culture emphasises they know best, and for example, are the only ones that know how to save the planet. Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz Not all young people are foolish and not all old people are wise, but generations need to grow together if we are to create a better future. – D Downward We want to hear your views on the issues affecting life in Canterbury Send emails to: barry@starmedia.kiwi Lockdown Is the world descending rapidly into insanity or what? Out and about today, traffic returning to normal volume, I Letters may be edited or rejected at Star Media’s discretion. Letters should be about 200 words. A name, postal address and phone number should be provided. Please use your real name, not a nickname, alias, pen name or abbreviation. LETTERS 21 see so many solo drivers wearing masks. I feel a little like Rip Van Winkle when he awoke to a strangely changed world. I fail to understand why this whole country has been brought to a standstill once more – with healthy people withheld from normal activities – for a virus that has claimed 27 lives in 18 months, and most of those elderly and in doubtful health. Thus far we have had nearly 4000 cases but the real statistics are 27 deaths and 40+ hospitalisations, and these figures pale beside the annual flu fatality rate in New Zealand. Added to the totally out-ofproportion picture, we as a nation have spent $90 billion maintaining the consequences of this Covid contagion. Outrageous. – Chris Watkins Racism I consider this Government to be racist. To treat a person differently because of their race is racism. Just one example of this is the new Maori Health Board. We should not favour or treat people differently because of their ethnicity. Desist from using the ethnic labels of Maori, European, Chinese, Indian etc. We are all immigrants to this country. Judge people by their qualities and actions. – Madge Baker • Turn to page 22
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The Star: September 16, 2021

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