Associate Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty will soon visit Northland to check out vulnerable communities that could potentially be forced into managed retreat in the face of climate-change induced flooding.
The government argues its bill will protect against asset sales and the contracts are nothing new, but critics say it should release details of an economic regulator first.
A $44 million fund being offered to help councils transition to the new three waters system - at least $350,000 per council - is just bribery, Opposition parties say.