In fact, I cannot think of one reason in favour of it.
Here are the grounds for my decision:
- The Water Services Entities Bill guarantees, in Nanaia Mahuta’s words, that ‘At a strategic level, the regional representative group will be made up of 50:50 council and iwi representation’. This is not democratic. New Zealand is a representative democracy. However, having a 50:50 council and iwi representation is a false impression of a democracy. It is not representative. It, rather, implies that a quota is being adhered to and that management of the WSEs will not be appointed purely on merit, but on alternative grounds.
