We Say – Water torture

Water torture

For a Government that appears to have handled the complexities of Covid-19 rather well, it seems extraordinary that it has managed to make such a pig’s breakfast of its much simpler Three Waters reforms.

Nobody would argue with the objective of safe, reliable water services to support good health and sustainable environmental outcomes. But what councils simply will not stand for, and rightly so, is a loss of control over assets their ratepayers have diligently funded to establish and maintain.

Hence the opposition to the composition of a Representative Group Committee to set the strategic direction for the proposed regional corporation to manage water services. Auckland would have only five seats on the 14-member committee, even though it would contribute more than 90 per cent of the assets. The imbalance is created by the proposal that half the seats be occupied by local iwi representatives. Few would object to iwi representation, but half the seats? Perhaps the diluting of council influence is designed to facilitate the subsidising of poorer areas by wealthier councils, since those doing the subsidising would have limited power to object to it.

Whatever the reason, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff has written to Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta, telling her to think again. Please pay attention, Nanaia.

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Hurrah for Hospice

It’s possible Harbour Hospice will come in for some criticism over its policy on assisted dying, which it firmly opposes. When Mahurangi Matters conducted a street poll in Warkworth on the End of Life Choice Act, the majority were very much in favour.

But Hospice’s numerous concerns about the Act remain, and they have a point. To highlight just two of them: Firstly, the assisted dying process does not ensure family and friends of the terminally ill person are made aware of the request for euthanasia, which limits the opportunity to address factors that may motivate the request, such as fear of being a burden. Secondly, there is no adequate protection against a person being coerced to end their life.

True, if a doctor or nurse suspects any pressure is being applied, they must immediately stop the process. But those applying the pressure will no doubt take care not to be detected.

Hospice is worth listening to because it does not come from the position of the harsh moraliser – often someone who frequently has little personal experience of a difficult death themselves. Rather, it is an organisation that deals with dying every day. And although it will not facilitate assisted dying itself, it will still be there supporting patients who choose that option and their whanau. We all have cause to be grateful to Hospice.