1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: The battle of the dueling responsibilities is unfolding before our eyes, 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: and I can't work out whether it all going to 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: end in TSS. On one hand, the local government Minister 4 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:10,960 Speaker 1: is off to Cabinet with his rates cap plan for councils. 5 00:00:11,039 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: Average rate rises almost ten percent, inflation isn't it's not 6 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: good enough? They're out of control and Wellington's going to 7 00:00:17,640 --> 00:00:19,840 Speaker 1: do something about it. Good good, good good. But then 8 00:00:19,880 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: we have local water done well, the new government's replacement 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:25,439 Speaker 1: for three waters. You can buddy up with a group 10 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 1: of councils and areas, or you can go it alone. 11 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 1: Gisbon District, for example, has decided to go it alone. 12 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: Is that a good idea? Well not, according to Internal 13 00:00:33,800 --> 00:00:36,400 Speaker 1: Affairs who've written to them having seen their plans. They've 14 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: also written to five other councils with similar ideas and gone, 15 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:41,600 Speaker 1: you don't seem to have the capacity and wherewithal to 16 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: pull this off. So what if they're right? What if 17 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,800 Speaker 1: they don't and the whole thing goes tits up? How 18 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:49,720 Speaker 1: is it? A central government on one hand, a setting 19 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: the rules of engagement on rates for fear of things 20 00:00:51,880 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: getting out of control, yet letting councils who their own 21 00:00:55,240 --> 00:00:57,520 Speaker 1: people are suggesting ut up to it loose on water 22 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,560 Speaker 1: infrastructure that may well end up putting them in the 23 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: poor house. It's that complex angsty line. I guess between 24 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:07,000 Speaker 1: freedom and control, local and central Where is that line drawn? 25 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: So if you don't trust them on rates, is water 26 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:12,040 Speaker 1: so simple and cheap and easy they should be fine? 27 00:01:12,200 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 1: Then you get to the bit about voters and local democracy. 28 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,479 Speaker 1: Gisban claimed they've consulted and the community is behind them. 29 00:01:17,680 --> 00:01:20,480 Speaker 1: That almost certainly isn't true, given the consultation will have 30 00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,559 Speaker 1: involved the usual handful of those actually interested, as opposed 31 00:01:23,600 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: to the vast majority who wouldn't be remotely aware or 32 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 1: care until, of course, it all goes wrong, at which 33 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: point that we held to pay. So who's right central 34 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: government getting control of the out of control or letting 35 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: the out of control debbel elsewhere and going into it 36 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: with a red flag. There seems a stark inconsistency in 37 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:43,880 Speaker 1: approach from the capital, because both approaches can't be right. 38 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: For more from the Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to 39 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: news talks it'd be from six am weekdays, or follow 40 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.