Barrie Davis: From Consultancy to Co-governance

At the 2023 election many New Zealanders voted for the present Coalition in the expectation that would result in the removal of the maorification of our constitution. Is the Coalition meeting that expectation? Given the results, how should we now approach the next election?

The current NZ First-National Coalition agreement includes: “The coalition government will defend the principle that New Zealanders are equal before the law, with the same rights and obligations, and with theguarantee of the privileges and responsibilities of equal citizenship in New Zealand.” 

 

Furthermore, prior to the 14 October 2023 election, NZ First policy (Retrieved 7 October 2023) included: “New Zealand First wants every kiwi to be treated the same, to have equal opportunity and to be treated with fairness and respect” and to “Rule out working with any political party that promotes separatism.” 

 

The ACT-National Coalition agreement similarly includes a commitment to “restore national unity, and boost social cohesiveness” along with “upholding the principles of liberal democracy, including equal citizenship…” 

 

Moreover, ACT’s pre-election policy was given as, “ACT has a vision of a society in which no one is treated differently based on who their ancestors were” (Retrieved 6 October 2023). A discussion paper, Democracy or Co-government? (undated), claims “All New Zealanders are equal under the law, with the same rights and duties.” 

 

However, the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025, which was subsequently passed entirely within the current term of the present coalition Government, gives Maori exclusive rights and duties. 

 

The Coalition introduced the Waters Services Bill 9 December 2024 and it was given Royal Assent 25 August 2025. Note that it was introduced in the first year of the term so they must have begun working on it not longafter their election promises. It was not left until the final year of the term, like the review of Treaty provisions in legislation which has yet to be completed. 

 

That project is intended to review legislation, except treaty settlement acts, which mention “the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” and “replace all such references with specific words relating to the relevance and application of the Treaty, or repeal the references”. The review of Treaty provisions includes the Water Services Regulator Act 2020 Sections 5, 12 and 19. However, Sections 14-17 regarding a Maori Advisory Group will presumably remain. (here) 

 

It is disappointing that the 23 pieces of legislation included in the review do not include the Water Services Act 2025. Apparently, that is because the Water Services Act does not mention “the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi” and includes only “specific words” for consultation with Maoris and appeals to the Maori Land Court. (here) 

 

Regarding consultation, the Water Services Act includes a “Significance and engagement policy” (Sections 33–38) for Water organisations, such as Wellington’s Metro Water, which says: 

- “The purpose of the policy is … to enable the organisation to develop a flexible and locally appropriate approach to engagement, which recognises and accommodates the preferences and expectations of … any particular communities specified in the policy (for example, iwi, hapū, and other Māori organisations in the water organisation’s service area)”. Section 35 (3) (b) (iv) 

- “When preparing a significance and engagement policy, a water organisation must engage with … any particular communities identified by shareholders (for example, iwi, hapū, and other Māori organisations in the organisation’s service area)” Section 37 (3) (a) (iv) 

 

Regarding the Maori Land Court, the Act says: 

- “the water service provider may appeal the matter to the Māori Land Court” for a decision. Section 166 (4) (b). 

- “An owner of Māori-owned land may appeal to the Māori Land Court against the outcome of an internal review.” Section 170 (1). 

 

The consequent Metro Water organisation “Metropolitan Wellington Water Services Delivery Plan” (WSDP), completed in August 2025, says (here, p.4): 

 

Metro Water “has been developed jointly by the five councils working in partnership with mana whenua partners Ngāti Toa Rangatira and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika. The new organisation is intended to operate from 1 July 2026 (Day One). It will have legal status as a water organisation under the Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025.” 

 

The Plan concludes (p. 89), “Ultimately, the successful establishment of Metro Water will depend on a partnership between councils and mana whenua…” 

 

(As an aside, the Water Services Act 2025 sets governance and planning obligations, but not project level construction schedules. The WSDP is about governance structures, funding and finance models and does not say what actual work will be done, which could be years away (e.g., pipe replacement and Moa Point). We have only been told that they will install water meters so they can charge us for usage. We are paying a lot of moneyand we don’t know what we will get for it.) 

 

So, at the time of the last election, the coalition parties said they will uphold the principles of equal citizenship. In demonstrating those principles, they enacted the Water Services Bill. But, in fact, the resulting Act provides for exclusive consultancy rights and appeal duties for a particular racial group in New Zealand, which is contrary to the Coalition agreement of equal citizenship. The Act in turn provides for a claim of a legal basis for a partnership between the Wellington Water organization (Metro Water) and local iwi. 

 

Dr Brash of Hobson’s Pledge says much the same regarding the Planning Bill and the Natural Environment Bill which are intended to replace the Resource Management Act. He says the Coalition agreement is not met in the RMA replacement Bills: “Throughout both bills, those with some Maori ancestry are given a preferred constitutional status in direct contradiction to the values which the parties to the coalition government profess.”(here) 

 

Geoff Parker says something similar about the NZ Transport Agency (here). 

 

The Water Services Act replaces the Three Waters legislation which includes co-governance or mandatory iwi representation language. But the Water Services Act does not replace the exclusive race-based rights of Three Waters, it merely postpones them. 

 

The Water Services Act provides for relationships, processes and rules based on exclusive rights which may be promoted to those of Three Waters at the stroke of a pen. That may well happen at the next inevitable change of Government. 

 

We are continually being fed an attractive line prior to elections, such as the TPB at the last election, which does not meet the expectations it sets. For the coming election watch how the proposed legislation for an automatic enactment Maori seats referendum gets demoted to a non-binding referendum which will not survive the next Labour-led Government. 

 

Yet, you will still vote for one of the Coalition parties. Why? Because you have nowhere else to go. And they know that. 

 

The question remains: Why do they do it? 

 

Barrie Davis is a retired telecommunications engineer, holds a PhD in the psychology of Christian beliefs, and can often be found gnashing his teeth reading The Post outside Floyd’s cafe at Island Bay.