The controversial decision to entrench part of the government’s three waters legislation, effectively making it harder for future governments to unravel it, appears to be on the chopping block after a weekend of political outrage.
A new provision added to the three waters bill last Wednesday made it so that 60% of MPs would be required to change the law or scrap it altogether – more than the usual simple majority of 50%. It wasn’t just politicians up in arms: in today’s edition of The Bulletin, Anna Rawhiti-Connell reported that a group of public law academics was urging the government to change the entrenching provision.
Missed the debate entirely? You can read Andrew Geddis’ excellent explainer on the significance of that decision here.
But while it seemed like the government would likely push along with the changes despite backlash from across the political spectrum, Jacinda Ardern has today admitted to RNZ it will be looked at.
“We agree [entrenchment] should be used rarely. Cabinet intends to have a bit of a discussion about that principle,” Ardern said.
“I don’t want to predetermine that conversation. No one is backtracking from the idea that we shouldn’t privatise water assets… we’ll have a discussion about the principle of entrenchment because we hear those concerns and I think they’re legitimate.” I expect we’ll hear the outcome of that conversation this afternoon.
Asked specifically whether the entrenchment decision would be “reconsidered”, Ardern said she wouldn’t get ahead of the conversation.
Minutes later on RNZ, Green Party three waters spokesperson Eugenie Sage defended the decision to entrench the provision. “It’s a 60% majority – the entrenchment for matters in the Electoral Act is a supermajority, 75%. A 60% would encourage consensus building across the parliament.”
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