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Resolution
number HM/2021/167
MOVED by Deputy Chairperson B Brady, seconded by Member P
Chan:
That
the Henderson-Massey Local Board:
a)
welcome the
opportunity to provide feedback for inclusion in Auckland Council’s
submission on the Economic Regulation and Consumer Protection for Three
Waters Services in New Zealand discussion paper
b)
support that the
regulator has an obligation to consider vulnerable consumers and communities
and that an equity lens is able to be employed to assist with matters that
need addressing for communities of need.
c)
make the following
points in the administrative areas of:
i)
the need for
economic regulation – the board support the need to regulate the new
water authorities to ensure they are responsive to the people they serve.
Large companies with no competition can lead to bad outcomes
ii)
the type of
regulation and who would pay the costs:
A)
support the
proposal that the regulator be a price-quality regulator, provided
“quality” includes factors such as the social, cultural,
environmental, and the financial wellbeing of communities
B)
support the
proposal that the administrative costs of the regulator be recovered through
levies as there are a straightforward, transparent, and standard way of
recovering these costs providing that the regulations are designed to ensure
they are net beneficial to consumers.
iii) what parts of three waters the regulation
would apply to – without further information it is difficult to
understand how the provision of stormwater could be economically regulated or
to demonstrate how the cost of that regulation is net beneficial to consumers
iv) should the regulation apply to all providers
– support the proposal that small community or private schemes should
only be regulated if the cost of regulation is outweighed by the benefits
v)
how and when should
regulation be implemented – support a graduated approach to
implementing a conventional price-quality path, providing that this considers
the social, cultural, environmental, and the financial wellbeing of
communities
vi) what should be the statutory objectives of the
regulation regime – support statutory objectives that would:
A) incentivise
innovation and investment
B) improve
efficiency
A)
share efficiency
gains with consumers
B)
considers the
impacts of climate change
C)
considers Te mana o
te Wai.
vii)
what should
compliance and enforcement look like – support the need for effective
compliance and enforcement to ensure the regulation is effective
viii)
who the economic
regulator should be – has no opinions on who the economic regulator
should be
ix)
whether we need
additional consumer protections and how those are regulated:
A)
support the
provisions in the proposal to ensure the regulator is responsive to its
customers.
B)
further, request
provisions to ensure the regulator is responsive to the plans and priorities
of local communities as expressed through the local boards.
C)
request further
consideration of the role of local boards in advocating for their communities
and how this will be reflected in the statutory objectives of the
regulator.
CARRIED
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