Māori wards and constituencies. This new law would also abolish an existing law allowing local referendums to veto decisions by councils to establish Māori wards. This law is intended to come into effect before the scheduled 2022 local body elections. On 25 February, Mahuta's Local Electoral (Māori Wards and Māori Constituencies) Amendment Act 2021 passed its third reading in Parliament. This Bill eliminates mechanisms for holding public referendums on the establishment of Māori wards and constituencies on local bodies. Mahuta's Bill was supported by the Labour, Green and Māori parties but opposed by the opposition National and ACT parties. National unsuccessfully attempted to delay the bill by mounting a twelve hour filibuster challenging all of the Bill's ten clauses. Three Waters reform programme As Minister of Local Government, Mahuta has played an important role in promoting and implementing the Government's contentious Three Waters reform programme, which proposes taking control of water utility services away from local councils and centralising them in four new entities. Mahuta has argued that the Three Water reforms will give Māori a greater say in the administration of water resources, stating the status of water as Taonga in Māori culture. In early October 2021, five Christchurch City councillors demanded that she resign her local government portfolio over the Three Waters reforms. Mahuta rejected their demand, accusing the councillors of "political campaigning." On 27 October, Mahuta formally launched the Three Waters reforms, which attracted criticism from several local leaders including Mayor of Auckland Phil Goff, Mayor of Christchurch Lianne Dalziel, Mayor of Wellington Andy Foster, and the opposition National and ACT parties. In response to criticism, Mahuta acknowledged that the Three Waters reforms policy was not popular but accused opponents of spreading misinformation. In March 2022, Mahuta acknowledged underestimating the level of public opposition to the Three Waters reforms and problems with the associated promotional advertising campaign. As Minister of Local Government, Mahuta introduced the Water Services Entities Bill in early June 2022. As part of the Three Waters reform programme, this proposed bill would establish the four regional water services entities that would take over management of water infrastructure from local councils. Under the proposed law, councils would retain ownership of their water assets through a "community share" arrangement but the new water service entities would retain effective control over these assets. Mahuta also confirmed that further legislation would also be introduced to facilitate the transfer