Sio William: South Taranaki District Council (Cold Creek Rural Water Supply) Bill — Third Reading 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Sio William: South Taranaki District Council (Cold Creek Rural Water Supply) Bill — Third Reading 
[Sitting date: 13 March 2013. Volume:688;Page:8501. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
Su’a WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
Malo le soifua Mr Assistant Speaker Robertson. I have not sat through the public submissions on this bill the South Taranaki District Council (Cold Creek Rural Water Supply) Bill on the Local Government and Environment Committee— 
Maggie Barry 
: Well sit down then. 
Su’a 
 WILLIAM SIO 
: —but I have read through the reports contrary to what that member might want to say and I think there are some things that need to be clarified. 
Contrary to what the previous member Jacqui Dean has just said the Labour Party is supporting this bill—let us be quite clear about that. We are supporting it because it is about the Cold Creek rural water supply scheme which is vested in the council being transferred into a company owned by the farmers who put up 50 percent of the money to establish the scheme in the first place. The other 50 percent we should remind that side was put up by taxpayers. 
I understand that this scheme has been going on for quite some time and there have been some discussions on it but the transfer of the scheme includes the real and personal property of the council. It includes the intake structure the treatment plant the land on which the treatment plant is situated the in-ground covered reservoir two waste discharge ponds the pipes and pressure-reducing valves other valves and supply point connections all water meters for the scheme and the electronic control and monitoring equipment but does not transfer water rights and I think that needs to be on record. It also according to clause 4 is amended to clarify that in the Cold Creek rural water supply scheme everything is sold as I have outlined except for “the cross-linkage pipeline (beyond the connection point) used for the purpose of providing water to Opunake residents in certain emergencies.” 
I am pleased to note also that clause 5 has been amended to provide an opportunity for authorities representing iwi whose rohe wholly or partly encompasses the scheme distribution area to be consulted. I think it is quite sad when you have a group of people who for one reason or another did not consult the local iwi of the area and I am pleased to note that that committee saw fit to amend clause 5 to include the consultation. I think just because that clause is in there it does not mean that I have confidence that they will carry it out and I think that is the point that we are saying—we are supporting the bill but there are concerns that have been raised by the public that have been raised by the local iwi that we have got to continue holding this Government to account for. So my word really to the council is that the council has got to be vigilant and make sure that the local iwi are consulted not just when they are needed but there is ongoing engagement and ongoing discussion about issues before conflict occurs. 
Clause 8 I am pleased to say provides that if a property within the scheme’s distribution and so on were to be transferred or leased to another person the company assesses ability and commitment including the supply of water to Opunake in emergencies. 
Finally I just want to raise this because in a report by Richard Woodd on 27 August 2009 entitled “The battle for Cold Creek water” the author makes reference to a regional medical officer who raised concerns about waterborne illnesses. I think that is the point we are trying to make here—that although the scheme is being transferred the council still has a responsibility to ensure that quality water is provided and in the case of emergency that that water does not give rise to these particular illnesses. I raise that because I would hate for anything to happen and if it did we would put the blame squarely on this Government. Thank you.