7. Question No. 7—Local GovernmentSIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Local GovernmentQuestion No. 7—Local Government7. SIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Local Government: Does she stand by her statement that Māori have not expressed rights and interests in three waters assets over and above those as ratepayers within their respective communities of interest"; if so what justification is there to apply a co-governance model to three waters entities?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Acting Minister of Local Government): On behalf of the Minister yes I stand by my statement. Iwi have not expressed rights and interests in the assets themselves. That is not to say that they do not have rights and interests in the three waters system more broadly and an interest in service delivery. What I have heard is a concern from iwi about the state of water infrastructure the safety of our drinking water and protecting our freshwater resources for future generations. These are concerns that we share and that's why we're undertaking the three waters reforms. The current situation where thousands of New Zealanders get sick from their drinking water is simply unacceptable and doing nothing is not an option.Simon Court: Does this mean that over four years of consultation on the Three Waters Reform Programme not a single iwi or hapū has expressed rights or interests in three waters assets; and if so why did the Minister decide that co-governance should be the centrepiece of her Three Waters Reform Programme?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In answer to the second part of that question the centrepiece of the Three Waters Reform Programme is making sure that thousands of New Zealanders don't get sick every year from drinking the water that comes out of their tap.Simon Court: Does the Minister believe that all ratepayers regardless of their ethnicity should have equal representation on three waters service delivery entities; and if not why not?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: I think the member needs to make sure he gets clear in his head the difference between ownership governance and management. In the case of these assets what we're committed to on this side of the House is public ownership. I think the ACT Party is a new-found convert to public ownership of assets like this. No—Mr Seymour is shaking his head so they're not. What we do know is we that want regional representative groups that do cover off local authorities and mana whenua in the governance space and then to make sure we have competency-based boards running the entities.Simon Court: Has the Minister asked iwi and hapū whether they prefer a co-governance model or if they would prefer to invest in three waters assets through public-private partnerships?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: Here we are—the real agenda of the ACT Party is now out here and the smokescreen that ACT is putting up around co-governance issues to cover up for the fact that they still want to privatise the assets. Roger Douglas called—he wants his policies back.Simon Court: Will the Minister accept that Māori have not expressed rights and interests in three waters assets and therefore make a commitment to dump co-governance from the three waters reform agenda?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: In respect of the first part of the question on behalf of the Minister that's what I said in my answer. In respect of the second part of the question no because on this side of the House we believe that it's possible for New Zealand to have a modern sophisticated democracy where we recognise the rights and interests of all New Zealanders."