Mahuta NanaiaHon NANAIA MAHUTA (Minister of Local Government): Well an interesting contribution. I just want to highlight that while we are very much focused on the serious issues many of those serious issues aren't often the easiest ones to address. Take for example responding to the pressing needs of COVID and putting the health of New Zealanders first. When members on the other side of the House wanted the borders open very quickly without giving any consideration to the consequent impacts on our economy or on the health of our people we resisted that particular move because we knew that by keeping New Zealanders safe putting a science- and evidence-based approach at the forefront of our thinking and adapting to the science and evidence coming through along the way some one year later we understand how important it is to balance both the social needs with the economic needs.Then the other pressing issue was being mindful that we needed to ensure that we had a recovery strategy that was looking to invest in our regions an approach that would keep doors open local economies moving but again all the while being mindful that COVID is a significant challenge. And we continue to focus on those long-term challenges that will actually help define what type of country we are what type of economy we want to be and that is why we are looking to address the issues of climate change.I want to come back to our recovery plan and in particular one of the hard challenges addressing waters infrastructure because I recently announced a programme of work that would ensure that we could continue to move forward on a very significant set of changes that would position our country better. The depth of analysis that we've undertaken in the past four years demonstrates that not only is there a case for change but it is compelling and it is required because the status quo is not enough. What we need to do is ensure that as every council is understanding and digesting the dense set of information to be able to move towards an approach to reform where everyone benefits every resident and every household will benefit with the proposed changes. We too need to address the significant looming challenges of climate change that impact on councils such as natural hazards that are happening more and more frequently floods fires and the impact that that has on our residents in our communities. That's why I am convinced that in reforming our three waters system we are moving to a more affordable sustainable system that will benefit all New Zealanders.We know why we are pursuing these changes: (1) the current system isn't financially viable or sustainable; (2) people are sick of being sick from having to cope with the impact of a vulnerable drinking-water system no-swim notices for people who want to swim in their local beach or rivers frequent boil-water notices in some of our smallest vulnerable communities erupting sewer pipes into our streets lead contamination in the water consent-breaching sewage overflows into our urban rivers streams lakes and beaches. We can't sit by and wait. The Opposition would have us not do anything at all. These are some of the big looming challenges. In fact if I take some of the comments of the Opposition spokespeople in this area they're basically sending a signal to councils of We'll do whatever you want and if you don't want this we won't go there."This is a significant challenge that needs to be addressed. It is a challenge that we want to ensure that we can meet in order to underpin the type of recovery that will help us support regional economic growth the creation of over 9000 jobs adding to GDP between $14 billion to $23 billion and ensuring that the looming cost challenges over the next 30 years of about $120 billion to $185 billion can be met through reform. We know we need to pursue it. It's not an easy issue. In fact many of the challenges that this Government is meeting in relation to COVID in relation to an economic recovery in relation to addressing some of the foundational challenges that we have underpinning a successful economy is the type of approach that a responsible Government would meet and I'm proud to be serving in it."