Little says water should not be traded!

The Herald reports:

Labour party leader Andrew Little says water should not be traded as a commodity in New Zealand.

Why ever not? That is the best way to allocate and conserve it. Farmers should pay for the water they use for irrigation just as the rich family with a swimming pool should pay for their water use.

Is Little against water meters? Against any form of charging?

He did not believe water was a resource which should be traded commercially.

“We don’t make it, it comes naturally, people need it, it’s life giving. It’s essential and I’m just not sure it’s something we should now go down on creating this big commercial market for.”

Yes it is essential, as is food. But how does Andrew propose water should be allocated – a Government committee dishing out an equal portion to everyone?