9. Question No. 9—Local GovernmentSIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Local GovernmentQuestion No. 9—Local Government9. SIMON COURT (ACT) to the Minister of Local Government: Does he agree with his predecessor Hon Nanaia Mahuta's 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 does he think granting mana whenua representatives half the seats on regional representative groups for water services entities reflects the interests of all ratepayers equally?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON (Minister of Finance) on behalf of the Minister of Local Government: On behalf of the Minister in answer to the first part of the question yes. In answer to the second part of the question mana whenua representatives having half the seats on the regional representative groups reflects that Māori have a special interest in water resources. This was affirmed by the Supreme Court in 2013. The member is confusing the role of regional representative groups and the ownership interests of the asset. The role of the representative group is to provide representation to appoint a competency-based board that would run the entity and provide strategic advice.Simon Court: Can the Minister explain how he made the leap from a court case in which Bill English testified that the recognition of rights and interests in fresh water and geothermal resources must by definition "involve mechanisms that relate to the on-going use of those resources and may include decision-making roles in relation to care protection use access and allocation and/or charges or rentals for use." to the conclusion that mana whenua should have half the seats on regional representative groups despite being 17 percent of the population?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: On behalf of the Minister I simply repeat what I said towards the end of my primary answer: the member is confusing the role of regional representative groups and ownership of assets.Simon Court: Does the Minister believe that other ratepayers within communities of interest including irrigators farmers and manufacturers deserve representation on regional representative groups for water service entities?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The Government has made the decision that the regional representative groups should reflect local government and mana whenua on the basis of the interests previously outlined.Simon Court: What other factors in addition to 50:50 representative arrangements support Standard & Poor's conclusion that water service entities would achieve balance sheet separation from local authorities for the purpose of credit rating assessment?Hon GRANT ROBERTSON: The concern that Standard & Poor's have expressed is that if for example—as I've seen some other parties advocate for—these were council-controlled organisations that does not create the level of balance sheet separation.Simon Court: Point of order Mr Speaker. The question was very clear. I don't believe the Minister addressed it. The Minister has answered in a reply to a written question that there are other factors in addition to co-governance arrangements and my question to the Minister is: what are those other factors?SPEAKER: And the Minister has addressed it. Have you got any further questions?David Seymour: Point of order. The Minister simply commented that he didn't think other parties' policies would work. He hasn't talked about any other potential stakeholders or interest holders that might somehow help with balance sheet separation at all.SPEAKER: Well I think you should go back and listen and read Hansard when it comes out because in my opinion—and I remain with my opinion—the question was addressed."