The Water Services Entities Amendment Bill proposes changes to the water reform framework, increasing the number of entities and introducing mechanisms for community input. It aims to bring decision-making closer to local areas while retaining much of the existing structure.
The Taxpayers’ Union opposes the Bill, arguing it fails to fix core issues like asset expropriation and lack of democratic accountability. We also raised concerns about unequal weighting of input, where some groups’ views are prioritised over those of the wider community.
The Bill affects who controls critical, ratepayer-funded infrastructure and how accountable those decision-makers are. Without stronger safeguards, it risks weakening local democracy and creating an imbalance in how community voices are considered.
