NZ Law Society Decries Three Waters Entrenchment Addition as ‘Undemocratic’
December 2, 2022
PHOTO: Mark Mitchell
Introducing an entrenchment provision into Three Waters legislation while the Government is operating under urgency is unconstitutional and undemocratic, the head of the New Zealand Law Society believes.
Law Society president Frazer Barton has penned a letter to Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta, criticising a new clause that was added to the Water Services Entities Bill, known as Three Waters legislation.
“The late inclusion of an entrenchment clause in the Water Services Entities Bill breaches a well-established convention observed by successive Parliaments,” Barton said.
“Under this convention, entrenchment provisions are reserved for significant constitutional matters outside the scope of general policy debate.
“The entrenchment clause is undemocratic: it proposes to bind the hands of future governments on a contestable policy position.”
https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/news/law-society-statements/nzls-statement-on-the-water-services-entities-bill/
https://www.lawsociety.org.nz/assets/Letter-re-Water-Servies-Entities-Bill-1-12-22.pdf