Nick Leggett: Wellington Water Chair says he's not resigning

Wellington Water Chair Nick Leggett says he's not going anywhere. 

The mayors of Wellington and Upper Hutt - Tory Whanau and Wayne Guppy - both say they have no confidence in him. 

A recent critical report found the organisation was potentially wasting millions of dollars on infrastructure contracts. 

Leggett says he'd like Wellington to transition to a different water entity. 

"That owns its own assets, can raise money off those assets and get good value for the money it spends and get them replaced as soon as possible." 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Right now, is Wellington about to get another Crown observer?
How many sets of training wheels can you have for
a city? Simon Watts, who's the local government minister, is
considering all options on this. Apparently this is to do
with Wellington Water, not Wellington Council. Nick Leggett is the
Wellington Water chair. Of course, there's been the report that

(00:20):
found the troubled organizations being paying contract is much more
than the water authorities. The mayor and others have called
for Knick's resignation, but he's not going anywhere. He's with
me now, high Nick, what do you reckon about a
Crown observer?

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Well, that would ultimately be the decision of the minister,
and I don't understand. I'm not aware of what he's
considering specifically or what would likely happen, but I do
remember that the current Crown Observer was put in place
due to concerns over water. I mean, I think that

(00:56):
that Wellington City Council is one of the shareholders of
Wellington Water. Water has made its views pretty clear in
the last few weeks, but there is a significant long
term under investment in wastewater, stormwater and of course our
fresh water pipes in Wellington and other services. And so
there was Andy Foster when he was Mayor of Wellington

(01:17):
did a report, a Mayoral Task Force report I think
at about twenty twenty, and that showed, you know, really
significant underspends. And the truth is that councils are pulled
in every you know, every other direction at the moment
and the many have chosen not to spend on water.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
Well no, that that's true. The problem for if you're
a Wellington rate payer, you've got counsels who haven't been
investing in their water. But then also you guys have
been charging them too much when they do.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
Yes, And that's exactly what we've come clean about. So
does it change?

Speaker 1 (01:53):
Is Wellington so broken that everyone needs someone holding their hand?
I mean, does every organization in this last city need
has Crown observed?

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Do you know? Do you know what I think Wellington needs?
Wellington needs a new water entity that owns its own assets,
can raise money off those assets and get good value
for the money it spends and get them replaced as
soon as possible. And that's what that's why getting Wellington
water sorted, that's why we've come come to people and said, look,

(02:23):
we've been charged too much in some areas over time.
It's not good enough. We've made changes, we fixed that,
but it's all in preparation for this new water entity
that will start sort of next year. And you know,
can I just give you an example.

Speaker 1 (02:37):
We're running out of time, but will you? Will you
put your hand up to lead it?

Speaker 2 (02:41):
No anywhere near it? Are you? My job is to
fix what we've what we've got and hand it over
as so it's as good. It's doing the best it
possibly can.

Speaker 1 (02:50):
Right, Okay, Nick, we have to lave it there. I
appreciate your time. Nickally get Wellington Water chare not going anywhere.
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