Mahuta NanaiaTAUMATA AROWAI—THE WATER SERVICES REGULATOR BILLThird ReadingHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): I move That the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill be now read a third time. This bill will create a new regulatory body called Taumata Arowai to oversee administer and enforce a new and strengthened drinking-water regulatory system and to perform additional functions relating to improving the environmental performance of stormwater and waste-water networks. The name Taumata Arowai is intended to convey the importance and authority of this new regulator. In fact the way in which a regulator acts to oversee the compliance with drinking-water standards source protection and the way waste water is returned to its receiving environment will be a significant aspect of their role—also the way in which te mana o te wai is factored into its operations. The bill has a largely administrative focus to establish Taumata Arowai as a legal entity and to provide for its objectives functions and governance arrangements. Comprehensive reform through a new drinking-water regulatory framework will be provided for in a separate complementary bill. This forthcoming legislation called the Water Services Bill" will prescribe Taumata Arowai's specific responsibilities and powers as well as the duties of councils and other water suppliers. As a new stand-alone Crown agent Taumata Arowai will have a dedicated sustained focus on drinking-water safety with the mana to recruit highly skilled individuals; an appropriate degree of independence for dealing with highly technical matters with a significant emphasis on compliance and enforcement; and sufficient independence to protect the integrity of its decision making. I've previously outlined to the House the systemic failure of the existing drinking-water regulatory framework a framework that allowed the Havelock North campylobacter outbreak to take place in 2016 where at a conservative estimate 34000 New Zealanders get sick from drinking their household water every year. This is completely unacceptable and we're working to ensure that the creation of a regulator is the first step to giving New Zealanders confidence that no matter where they live they will have access to safe clean drinking-water. The establishment of a new dedicated regulator delivers necessary step change a national level oversight leadership and communication and coordination required to ensure the safety of drinking water across the country. In carrying out these functions Taumata Arowai will provide a firm but consistent approach to monitoring and enforcing compliance with strengthened regulatory requirements for drinking water. It will also have a remit to provide much-needed central oversight and guidance of the operation of underperforming waste-water treatment plants and stormwater networks while regional councils remain the primary regulator for waste water and stormwater discharges. The bill sets the tone for Taumata Arowai to take a collaborative and outward-facing approach including engaging and building relationships with consumers and regulated parties including Māori; promoting public understanding of drinking-water safety and the environmental performance of waste-water and stormwater networks; and working across councils and smaller water suppliers to build and maintain expertise and capability including through sharing good practice research guidance and training. This approach is intended to help build confidence in the safety of drinking water and the overarching regulatory system and reinforces the importance of continual improvement across the three waters sector. The bill also provides a number of provisions that individually and collectively recognise respect and provide for Māori interests as Treaty partners. These include for example requirements for Taumata Arowai to partner and engage early and meaningfully with Māori; inform how it can give effect to te mana o te wai; and understand support and enable the exercise of mātauranga Māori tikanga Māori and kaitiakitanga. The overall intent is to ensure that Māori interests and knowledge are embedded throughout Taumata Arowai. To this end a Māori advisory group will provide support and guidance to the regulators board chief executive and wider organisation. While outlining the key intent of this bill I'd like to briefly draw to the attention of the House a minor amendment made at the committee of the whole House stage. A Supplementary Order Paper extended the bill's commencement provisions to provide time for Taumata Arowai's board to be appointed before the Act comes into force ensuring a smooth transition to the new regime. I reiterate that the bill along with our broader package of three waters regulatory reform demonstrates our Government's commitment to addressing the issues and opportunities highlighted by the Havelock North drinking-water inquiry and the three waters review. Importantly these reforms are the result of extensive engagement with local government iwi Māori and the wider water sector where we've received strong support for the establishment of a dedicated national regulator. I'd like to again thank all the parties for their constructive collaboration in developing this bill and the wider regulatory reforms. I look forward to working further with them on the next steps in the programme and I'm certainly looking forward to the partnership that we currently have with local government and the work of the steering committee that is currently engaging with the sector. I'd also like to again acknowledge my colleagues for their support and contributions to this bill—in particular the previous Minister of Health the Hon David Clark and the Minister for the Environment the Hon David Parker. I am pleased to say that we've listened to the expert advice including the recommendations of the Havelock North inquiry and a breadth of national and international research. We've listened to the views of regulated parties including local government iwi Māori and the water sector and through the creation of this new water regulator and sector leader we have delivered on decisive transformational change to put the health and safety of our communities first because it's all about our people who rely on us to make the right decisions so that they have the assurance of clean safe drinking-water. On that note I commend the Taumata Arowai—the Water Services Regulator Bill to the House."