Whanganui Wastewater Inquiry: Findings “Shocking”
10 September 2016
MEDIA STATEMENT
Michael
Laws
Former Mayor
Wanganui District Council
Whanganui Wastewater Inquiry: Findings
“Shocking”
Former
Wanganui district council mayor Michael Laws today welcomed
the findings of an independent inquiry into Whanganui’s
failed wastewater treatment plant, saying that the findings
“still have the capacity to shock no matter that the
actions took place over a decade ago.”
“ I feel very
sorry for the governance team that is elected next month,
and the good folk of Wanganui/Whanganui, that they
will inherit
the consequences of such management
misfeasance of twelve years ago.
Mr Domm, and those
current councillors who argued for an inquiry, have
done democracy a good service.
That senior managers so
clearly and categorically misled the mayor
and
councillors of the time, still has the capacity to shorten
one’s breath.
Even more so when you consider the
dreadful consequences of such
actions.
You do
wonder if criminal or civil charges should not be considered
against those who were parties to such
deception.”
Mr Laws said that he could understand that the inquiry findings “might not suit the prejudices or politics of those who sought to blame my administration for all the plant’s ills. That narrative is certainly demolished by this inquiry.”
“ But I am angry, on
behalf of all those decent ratepayers and residents,
who are going to miss out on so much – and pay so much
through their
rates. This inquiry certainly justifies
what I was saying at the time – that
my new council
couldn’t trust the advice that we were being
given.”
ENDS
http://www.whanganui.govt.nz/our-district/major-projects/wastewater-project/Documents/WWTP-Independent-Inquiry.pdf