Mahuta NanaiaTAUMATA AROWAI—THE WATER SERVICES REGULATOR BILLSecond ReadingHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): I move That the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill be now read a second time. The bill will establish Taumata Arowai as the new water services regulator an entity that will oversee administer and enforce New Zealand's drinking-water regulatory system while also overseeing the performance of waste water and storm water networks. This is the first of a two bill legislative reform package that will comprehensively strengthen the country's drinking-water regime. While this bill creates Taumata Arowai as a new Crown agent a second complementary water services bill will be introduced to legislate a new drinking-water regulatory framework and prescribe the new regulator's responsibilities and powers.In the wake of the serious contamination of Havelock North's drinking-water in 2016 this reform package demonstrates this Government's commitment to fixing a broken regulatory system for water and ultimately ensuring New Zealanders receive water that is clean and safe to drink. We've had years of under-investment and challenge in the three waters infrastructure space. That's lead to increasing fiscal pressures on renewal maintaining and building a resilient water network system. While we acknowledge it may be challenging for some suppliers to comply the Government has made a commitment to partner with local government to find solutions.So let me return to the bill. I want to thank the Health Committee for its work to consider the bill and the organisations and members of the public who made written and oral submissions. I would also like to acknowledge the constructive collaboration of local government and the wider water sector and their contribution to this bill as well as the work of the Havelock North drinking-water inquiry which recommended the creation of a dedicated drinking-water regulator. In addition I would like to thank my colleagues for their support and contributions towards the bill in particular the Minister of Health the Hon Dr David Clark and the Minister for the Environment the Hon David Parker.It was significant to see support from all sides of the House during the bill's first reading and during the select committee process. When it comes to ensuring the basic right of clean safe drinking-water for our communities we all need to come together as MPs with a greater benefit in mind. And in this instance the desire to strengthen the regulatory environment to assure ratepayers of safe healthy drinking-water from the source through the pipes out the tap and back into the receiving environment.The Health Committee received 70 submissions on the bill from individuals and organisations including a number of local authorities and public health groups. The vast majority expressed support for the intent of the bill and for the establishment of Taumata Arowai to regulate drinking-water services and oversee waste and storm water performance across the country. In particular many submitters commented on the need for and benefits of this new entity and the important role it will have in promoting safe drinking-water and protecting the health of New Zealanders. Very few submitters disagreed with the establishment of Taumata Arowai. Feedback was generally focused on suggestions for improving clarity and consistency across particular aspects of the bill. Based on this feedback I'm pleased that the Health Committee has recommended a number of specific and technical amendments to the bill which I wholly endorse. Those amendments to the bill as introduced include changes and additions to a number of definitions to ensure alignment with the complementary water services bill which is in the final stages of its development. Also there are changes to improve transparency and clarity around Taumata Arowai's Māori Advisory Group including strengthened reporting requirements for how Taumata Arowai's board considers and gives effect to the Māori Advisory Group's advice and the addition of a formal mechanism to enable time for Taumata Arowai to establish a technical advisory group providing the regulator with a flexible process for seeking independent expert advice on technical aspects whenever needed.The committee also recommended the inclusion of a definition of Te Mana o te Wai" that is consistent across legislation including with the existing National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. One of Taumata Arowai's statutory objectives will be to give effect to Te Mana o te Wai in relation to its specific functions and duties. This definition will provide clarity and certainty for the regulator as it interprets and gives effect to Te Mana o te Wai as part of its statutory obligations. Overall the changes recommended by the committee improve the bill. And again I want to thank the committee for its thoughtful work.As a dedicated focused regulator Taumata Arowai will provide national level oversight leadership and guidance for drinking-water suppliers tasked with adhering to their new regulatory requirements. It is intended to take a collaborative and supportive approach to working with local authorities in the wider water sector including working with water suppliers to help them achieve compliance building sector capability by promoting education and training having regard to cultural aspects including ensuring that tikanga Māori and Te Mana o te Wai are enabled and supported. The regulator will also provide a firm but consistent approach to compliance monitoring and enforcement. This will ensure adherence to the regulatory regime and ultimately ensure that what comes out of the tap is safe to drink.It has been and continues to be the Government's intent to take a holistic system-wide approach to three waters reform from the source through the pipes to the tap and back out again. That's why Taumata Arowai will also have a remit to provide much needed central oversight and guidance on the operation of wastewater treatment plants and stormwater networks with regional councils remaining the primary regulator for waste and stormwater discharges. This allows the new regulator to contribute to improved freshwater outcomes in addition to its primary focus on drinking-water regulation and safety.Our new regulatory regime will address the serious and unacceptable situation identified by the Havelock North drinking-water inquiry and the Three Waters Review where some New Zealanders don't have access to safe and acceptable drinking-water where too many people must boil their water to ensure it's safe to drink where an estimated 34000 people get sick from their drinking-water every year and where there is a risk of another Havelock North contamination event occurring; a tragedy that resulted in four deaths and over 5000 serious illnesses.COVID-19's tragic and unprecedented impact both here and abroad has brought home for all of us the importance of safeguarding the long-term health and safety of our whānau particularly our most vulnerable members of society. With this bill the Government is making clear its continued determination to put the health and safety of New Zealanders first. We're fixing a failed regulatory system and this is a key pillar of our Government's reform package. We've chosen a dedicated water regulator so that there will be a very clear focus on safe water and this is what the local government sector wanted. The bill also fits with our wider plan for Māori and that's the participation in the overall water management network. A Māori advisory group will be established to advise the regulator on Māori interests and the regulator will have an objective to protect and promote Te Mana o te Wai.Before I finish I'd like to note my intention to introduce a Supplementary Order Paper during the committee stage of the bill. This would amend the commencement provisions in the bill to provide time for Taumata Arowai's board to be appointed before the Act comes into force. I hope members of this House will join me in continuing to support the passage of this bill as the first step in our regulatory water reform programme. I move that the House takes note of the Health Committee's report and I do commend this bill to the House."