5. Question No. 5—Local GovernmentHon KIERAN McANULTY (Labour) to the Minister of Local GovernmentQuestion No. 5—Local Government5. Hon KIERAN McANULTY (Labour) to the Minister of Local Government: Does he stand by his statement that he is confident repealing the Affordable Water Reforms will be cheaper"?Hon SIMEON BROWN (Minister of Local Government): I am confident that the Local Water Done Well will be implemented cheaper than the previous Government's three waters reform that cost the taxpayers over $1.2 billion with very little to show for it. My focus is on ensuring this Government delivers what the vast majority of councils have consistently asked for which is local water done well. It means local assets in local council control with the flexibility to structure their delivery of services in a way that works best for them and their communities. Hon Kieran McAnulty: When the Minister uses the term "cheaper" does he mean cheaper for ratepayers? Hon SIMEON BROWN: Ultimately councils set rates for their local communities and this is about ensuring that councils can access the long-term funding and financing tools that they need so they can deliver the infrastructure. This will be far cheaper than what that Government was proposing—over a billion dollars spent with nothing getting delivered.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Why won't the Minister guarantee that his repeal and replacement will be cheaper for ratepayers?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well it will be cheaper for ratepayers because we won't be spending a billion dollars—like the last Government did—with nothing to show for it. The last Government thought there was a magic money tree where they could throw it around and apparently solve problems but actually they didn't after six years even solve this problem for local councils.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Is he aware of advice from the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) currently still available on the DIA website that states what he is proposing as a replacement to the affordable water reforms won't work and will lead to higher rates for ratepayers?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well there's a range of advice out there in terms of what the member may be pointing to. But what I would say is that this is going to give councils what they asked for which is ensuring they can deliver and have the long-term funding and financing tools that they need. Mayors across this country opposed that Government's plan. They opposed the mega entities and the forced mandated bureaucracies on local communities. We believe in local councils choosing and delivering for their local communities.Hon Kieran McAnulty: Isn't it actually the case that the Minister is setting things up so that when rates inevitably rise—unaffordably for some—he can blame councils instead of taking responsibility himself?Hon SIMEON BROWN: Well the last Government said that most of these entities weren't going to come into force until 2026 so the rates that were being proposed over the next couple of years were actually going to be proposed regardless of that Government's reforms. Now councils are ultimately responsible. We're giving the long-term funding and financing tools that councils need so they can invest sustainably in a fiscally responsible manner in water infrastructure for their local communities."