Jim Mylchreest
Former Waipā mayor Jim Mylchreest – a firm opponent of the Government’s Three waters proposal – remains unconvinced by the latest iteration of the plan.
“I’m in the Chris Luxon camp,” he told The News. “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”.
Mylchreest was heavily involved in the opposition lobby to Three Waters as mayor and having read and heard the latest media reports on the revamped proposal, still is.
“I see the logic, but in local government you are voted in to look after the interests of the residents,” he said.
The primary concern he had was that councils which had invested heavily in water infrastructure – and Waipā had – would subsidise those who had not.
“I’m not picking on anyone,” he said
“Waitomo and Ōtorohanga will struggle because of their size – but if you have income redistribution to consider, that’s a central Government issue.”
He noted the backdrop to that was that Local Government minister Nanaia Mahuta said there was no more central government cash available “so it’s local government that pays”.
But “if Kawhia needs a new a new water system it’s not up to Waipā to prop it up”.
