45198 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

Written Question

Published date: 02 Oct 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	45198 (2025)
Question asked:	17 Sep 2025
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister of Local Government
Minister replying:	Hon Simon Watts
Answer received:	28 Sep 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_45198_2025
Document guid:	922aaf72-b2ec-4fd8-8d6b-8935e2b022e4

45198 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: Does he think that the financial sustainability of households who will pay water rates to the new entities created as a result of his Local Water Done Well programme is important and if so, why?

Hon Simon Watts: Yes. Affordability underpins Local Water Done Well. If Water services are not financially sustainable, ratepayers will pay more in the long term or continue to see underinvestment in water, as has been the case in many communities.