29900 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

Written Question

Published date: 13 Jul 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	29900 (2026)
Question asked:	28 Jun 2026
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister of Local Government
Minister replying:	Hon Simon Watts
Answer received:	06 Jul 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_29900_2026
Document guid:	5016013b-8d82-4491-a6d9-6acf9a791f53

29900 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: Why did the date error in the overflows standard — which causes aspects of a standard commencing in 2028 to apply retrospectively from 2025 — not result in an urgent correction being gazetted before the March 2026 amendment process, and what advice, if any, did the Minister receive on the legal implications of that retrospective application in the interim?

Hon Simon Watts: An amendment process is underway to ensure that all technical issues identified in the wastewater standards are addressed. The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai is actively engaged with impacted parties (councils and consent authorities).