12. Question No. 12—Local GovernmentANGELA ROBERTS (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Local GovernmentQuestion No. 12—Local Government12. ANGELA ROBERTS (Labour) to the Associate Minister of Local Government: What engagement has he had with the local government sector?Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Associate Minister of Local Government): Over the past four months I've met with 54 rural and provincial councils. From the Far North to Invercargill these councils have been sharing their views on the issues that are important to them. These included civil defence roading climate change water and housing amongst other things. I was pleased that on the odd occasion they even wanted to talk about racing. Mayors and councillors for the likes of Waimate Waitaki Waimakariri Wairoa Waitomo Waikato and Waipā have all had the chance to give their feedback directly to Government. Every meeting was constructive and I thank every councillor mayor and council official for their engagement. We listened I passed on their feedback and now we are taking action.Angela Roberts: What announcements has the Government made in response to feedback from the tour?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: In response to feedback on rural water schemes the Government has announced a $10 million programme to support rural drinking-water suppliers to meet new standards. Rural water suppliers are not impacted by the proposed reform of water services so this programme will provide them with treatment systems training and maintenance to help them keep their water safe as well as to meet new regulatory requirements and drinking-water rules. This programme provides direct support to those communities who rely on rural water suppliers for their drinking water.Angela Roberts: What other announcements has the Government made in response to feedback from the tour?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: Councils also told me that they need extra capacity to implement the water services reforms. This led to a $44 million announcement where every council in New Zealand will receive at least $350000 in additional funding to ensure they have the necessary resourcing. This funding will also allow authorities to draw in expertise to support councils through the water services reforms and continue business as usual.Angela Roberts: How is the Government strengthening the coordination of the reform programmes affecting local government?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: The rural and provincial councils are clear on the need for reform. Be it in emergency management resource management or water services the sector were consistent in their belief that the status quo is unsustainable but they also highlighted that there is a lot going on with multiple demands being placed on the council offices who are tasked with responding to these reforms. In response to this feedback we have set up a ministerial oversight group to strengthen the coordination and monitor the demands that the cross-cutting reform programmes are placing on councils. This is a part of our wider commitment to work closely and productively with the sector to secure the best possible outcomes for local communities.Angela Roberts: What other themes were raised by rural and provincial councils?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: Rural and provincial councils were consistent in their appreciation for the unprecedented investments that this Government has made in their districts but acknowledged that they were facing challenges. Rural and provincial councils are faced with significant land masses in their jurisdictions but low populations and limited sources of revenue. The independent Future for Local Government review is seen by rural and provincial councils as an opportunity to respond to these issues. It provides an opportunity to ensure local government maintains a crucial role in our communities and is fit for purpose for the next 30 years. Understandably we also talked about water services reform. The rural and provincial sector shared a variety of positions on the Government's proposed reforms but they were absolutely unified in their belief that reform itself is necessary and they can no longer go it alone. Simon Watts: Of the councils he's visited how many who opposed the Government's three waters reform now support them after his meetings and can he confirm the answer is zero?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: What I can confirm is that every single council of the 54 councils I visited believes that water services is necessary. Everyone believes water service reform is necessary. The only people that refuse to accept that reality is the National Party—the National Party is the only bunch of people that believes the answer to a $180 billion question is the status quo.Hon Stuart Nash: What response did he have from councils with regard to the concept of co-governance?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: Of the 54 councils I visited one councillor and one council raised concerns over co-governance. And this should be a wake-up call to the National Party who rally against co-governance not reading the room not engaging with councils and not understanding that councils in New Zealand appreciate the benefits of co-governance. For the National Party the solution to this issue is to ignore it—is to kick the can down the road for generations to come. They can sit in their corner by themselves; we'll get on with delivering for local government in New Zealand.Hon Grant Robertson: Point of order. Mr Speaker I'm seeking your advice on what avenues are available to the House when documents are tabled with an assurance from a member that they are not publicly available when in fact they are publicly available. Several years ago this House moved from the situation where people simply tabled any old document in the House to one where they weren't publicly available. That practice I think is one welcomed by the House; it somewhat undermines it when we have a circumstance such as I've outlined.SPEAKER: Yes raising it as a point of order is not the way to do that. There is a very particular way of doing that. And I will make a ruling similar to previous ones regarding a question from the Government to itself on a matter that was then consequently used to attack another party. The Minister was not responsible for that party's policy and should not do it. That's the third time today. I'll go back to a previous question answered by the Hon Michael Wood and the point of order taken by the Hon David Parker. You would have seen that I ruled out of order the answer to a question to the Government itself but when a question from the Opposition that contained two legs and two assertions and in that case the Minister also made a statement about that party I did not pull him up on that one. That's the difference. So if the Government is asking a question of itself it should not do that. If the question is coming from the Opposition that has an assertion in it and the Minister is responding to it then I'm accepting that under the regime that all parties in this House told me that they wanted. So that's another thing. So I will give the last question to Simon Watts if he would like to have it.Simon Watts: Can the Minister outline one council who opposed the Government's Water Services Entities Bill but now supports that bill after his meeting?Hon KIERAN McANULTY: There are a range of views on the proposals around water services but it depends on the question that is asked. Many councils have expressed concerns in a constructive manner to help us improve the bill. All of them understand and recognise that reform of water services is absolutely necessary. If you were to go to any rural and provincial council—take your pick out of 54—and ask them the same questions that I did Can you do this by yourselves?" they will get the same answer that I got: "No we can't; reform is necessary." By all means they can stand up in this House and try to trick us into saying something they want to hear or they can go and engage with councils learn that councils want to do something and actually after four years come up with a policy of their own."