Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta’s new campaign against the privatisation of water assets is a desperate attempt to confuse Labour supporters about Three Waters, says the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union.

Union spokesman Jordan Williams says, “The only person talking about privatisation is Nanaia Mahuta. She is tilting at windmills in a brazen attempt to reframe the Three Waters debate in traditional Labour Party terms.”

“Clearly, she’s paid close attention to polling that shows even Labour Party voters oppose Three Waters, so now she’s invented an imaginary right-wing bogeyman to bring them back on board. She clearly thinks Labour voters are dim.”

“Her newfound enthusiasm for public ownership is simply not credible, considering it is actually her reforms that will strip local communities of ownership rights over water assets, delivering billions of dollars’ worth of pipes and treatment facilities to unaccountable, co-governed, quasi-corporatised water monopolies.”

“Nanaia Mahuta needs to give up on the political games and listen to the Mayors and Deputy Mayors who this week told Parliament that water services can be reformed in ways that do not remove local accountability.”

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