Once again, tangata w'enua have been sidelined and treated as every other stakeholder and not Tiriti partners. This is wrong. Major reforms in water regulation and management should not go ahead while tangata w'enua rights and interests over water remain unresolved. We also have raised concerns about compliance costs associated with this legislation, including upgrading and maintaining drinking-water infrastructure, paying annual registration fees, building a workforce, and developing safety and risk management plans. Without exemptions, their extra cost would cripple many of our marae—many of our marae who are there, serving their communities when they're needed. 