After two years debate on water reform and countless promises of more efficiency and transparency, today’s news that the Government is refusing to disclose the salaries of the recently appointed entity CEOs is a slap in the face of the hundreds of thousands of New Zealand ratepayers who objected to the reforms. The NZ Herald has confirmed, however, “that the salaries sit within a range of $602,500 to $815,500 per year, which suggests a very tidy pay rise for at least three of the four executives in question.

Responding to the report, Taxpayers’ Union Campaigns Manager, Callum Purves, said:

“The Government’s Three Waters reforms are failing its own litmus test – reducing costs and delivering services more efficiently. There is no efficiency or transparency in Government officials trying to keep secret what they are spending on CEOs for organizations that don’t yet exist.

“This is precisely what the Taxpayers' Union warned about. By taking control away from local communities, faceless bureaucrats in their ivory tower head offices tend to snub transparency and accountability. This example is case in point.”

© Scoop Media