Following a strong presentation to the Select Committee today, Rangitāne o Wairau is doubling down on its opposition to the Government’s Local Government (Water Services) Bill, calling it a blatant attack on local decision-making, environmental protection, and the Treaty partnership.

Corey Hebberd, Kaiwhakahaere Matua of Rangitāne o Wairau, presented to the Finance and Expenditure Select Committee today, outlining the Bill’s serious failings and the devastating impact it will have on iwi, councils, and communities, with a particular focus on wastewater standards and consenting.

“This Bill hands over control of wastewater standards to bureaucrats in Wellington, stripping local communities and iwi of any meaningful role in decisions that affect our own backyard,” said Corey Hebberd.

“Under this Bill, the Government is forcing 35-year wastewater consents on communities without any requirement to consider cultural values, environmental impacts, or the interests of tangata whenua. That means our voices will be silenced, and harmful wastewater discharges will be locked in for a generation.”

Rangitāne o Wairau is particularly concerned about the impact the Bill will have on the consenting process currently underway in relation to the Blenheim Sewage Treatment Plant, with its discharge consent expiring in October 2025.

“We have worked, both ways, in good faith with the Marlborough District Council for years to explore enhanced wastewater management. This Bill takes away our ability to be part of the process, pushing through long-term consents without real engagement or accountability,” said Hebberd.

The Bill also removes iwi and public notification rights for wastewater consents, meaning communities will have no formal say when decisions are made about stormwater and sewage discharges into local waterways.

“This is a disgraceful step backwards. The Government is shutting out the very people who have the greatest stake in protecting our environment,” said Hebberd.

Rangitāne o Wairau made it clear in today’s Select Committee hearing that this Bill is yet another example of the Government dismantling iwi rights and environmental protections. It continues a dangerous pattern of disregarding Te Tiriti o Waitangi and eroding Māori voices in decision-making.

“Let’s be clear that this Bill is not about improving water services. This is about centralising power, silencing iwi, and locking in environmental harm for decades. Rangitāne o Wairau will not stand by while our rights and responsibilities as kaitiaki are ignored,” said Hebberd.

Although submissions on the Bill are now closed, Rangitāne o Wairau will continue to challenge this Bill and its harmful effects on our communities and environment, and will continue to work constructively with local authority partners on issues of wastewater management.

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