Is a divisive issue still an issue if people don’t talk about it the way they once did?

The Three Waters legislation was passed yesterday under urgency - at one point this was the biggest game in town.

Many were aghast at what the Government was trying to do. They saw this as a massive overreach in terms of the Māori-fication of the New Zealand landscape.

The Government got dreadfully bogged down in the explanation of it. Nanaia Mahuta was hopeless at putting the case forward and the more we learned, the more alarmed we became.

Many councils were equally upset that assets that they had poured billions into were going to get ripped away from them.

The Government bent and buckled, it handed out money, freebies, gifts promises and, eventually, handed it off to Keiran McAnulty who went away, we thought, to fix the co-governance aspect of it. Then he came back and said the four entities that would run the new scheme had morphed into ten.

Since then it's been largely silence, apart from the revelation that we need ten bosses and the ones hired already are earning vastly more than the people in water currently earn, despite the fact that they are in charge of no more customers, because it’s now split ten ways, not four.

One of the changes made is that this whole mess doesn’t actually start until 2026, which means, fingers crossed, it never starts at all. But it will take a change of Government for it to be killed, as National and ACT are repealing it.

Even if this lot get back, they will almost certainly need the Māori Party in a coalition and the Māori Party voted against the legislation. So, it might well be that no matter who wins, Three Waters will never see the light of day.

But if there is one policy that exemplifies this Government, it is Three Waters. Because it's a gargantuan shambles.

It must be acknowledged that the idea was predicated on the accepted idea that our water is not what it should be. But then it was hi-jacked by the ideologues and force fed to us in the most arrogant and distasteful of ways.

If Labour ever want to look back on their time in Government and learn some lessons on how not to govern, the beginning, middle and end of Three Waters would be a good starting point.

So, back to the question - is it still contentious?

Or are there just so many things now that come under the broad heading of dysfunction and mess, we have run out of time and energy to deal with them all?

Is a divisive issue still an issue if people don’t talk about it the way they once did?
The Three Waters legislation was passed yesterday under urgency - at one point this was the biggest game in town.
Many were aghast at what the Government was trying to do. They saw this as a massive overreach in terms of the Māori-fication of the New Zealand landscape.
The Government got dreadfully bogged down in the explanation of it. Nanaia Mahuta was hopeless at putting the case forward and the more we learned, the more alarmed we became.
Many councils were equally upset that assets that they had poured billions into were going to get ripped away from them.
The Government bent and buckled, it handed out money, freebies, gifts promises and, eventually, handed it off to Keiran McAnulty who went away, we thought, to fix the co-governance aspect of it. Then he came back and said the four entities that would run the new scheme had morphed into ten.
Since then it's been largely silence, apart from the revelation that we need ten bosses and the ones hired already are earning vastly more than the people in water currently earn, despite the fact that they are in charge of no more customers, because it’s now split ten ways, not four.
One of the changes made is that this whole mess doesn’t actually start until 2026, which means, fingers crossed, it never starts at all. But it will take a change of Government for it to be killed, as National and ACT are repealing it.
Even if this lot get back, they will almost certainly need the Māori Party in a coalition and the Māori Party voted against the legislation. So, it might well be that no matter who wins, Three Waters will never see the light of day.
But if there is one policy that exemplifies this Government, it is Three Waters. Because it's a gargantuan shambles.
It must be acknowledged that the idea was predicated on the accepted idea that our water is not what it should be. But then it was hi-jacked by the ideologues and force fed to us in the most arrogant and distasteful of ways.
If Labour ever want to look back on their time in Government and learn some lessons on how not to govern, the beginning, middle and end of Three Waters would be a good starting point.
So, back to the question - is it still contentious?
Or are there just so many things now that come under the broad heading of dysfunction and mess, we have run out of time and energy to deal with them all?

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The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.

Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.

The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...