Hon NANAIA MAHUTA: From the beginning, I've worked in good faith to define the nature, scale, and extent of the Three Waters challenge, and, while a complex issue, some councils have been well engaged and others have only recently joined the debate. We've engaged on problem definition, which is under-investment in waters infrastructure for at least the last decade. We've discovered the debt ceiling borrowing limit is a significant constraint and that on the whole, long-term plans (LTPs) have not funded infrastructure deficits sufficiently to keep up with maintenance, renewals, and growth. That's why $710 million was invested from the COVID economic recovery fund to enable councils to bring forward maintenance and renewals forecast in their LTPs, supporting local jobs with local businesses. We've also worked together on commencing the companion conversation on the future for local government, which, at the request of the sector, is designed to ensure that the role and function of councils remain integral to achieving broader wellbeing outcomes for their communities.