Democracy or autocracy?
As the Government mulls over the proposals for how councils propose to reorganise themselves under the Head Start pathway of Simplifying Local Government, we must...
Category : Guest editorial
A red card system for councils?
I hope you enjoyed the FIFA World Cup 2026 as much as I did. It is amazing how exciting, dramatic and emotional it can be watching...
Editorial
From rubbish to rates to dog bylaws, nothing impacts people’s everyday lives as much as local government. The sector is at a time of immense...
Our way or the highway
The Government, through RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Local Government Minister Simon Watts, has given councils a three-month ‘Head Start’ ultimatum to...
Once upon a time there was a city…
Image: Manukau City Centre shopping complex in 1977. Photo by G. Reithmaier. It was the most progressive city in New Zealand. The city was young,...
Regional councils already represent flood resilience
From national strategy to regional delivery, Dr Deon Swiggs, Chair of the Canterbury Regional Council, Chair of LGNZ Regional Sector, and Resource Management Act Commissioner,...
On the subject of reform
It’s clear that local government has reached a turning point. Reform is no longer theoretical, it’s happening, and in many respects it’s long overdue, writes...
The water regulator responds
Steve Taylor, Head of Operations, The Water Services Authority – Taumata Arowai, responds to the article in the September magazine, ‘Regulator here to enforce not...
The forgotten infrastructure
Local government is on the frontline of housing developments, but there’s a critical piece of infrastructure that too often gets forgotten: digital connectivity, writes Sophie...
Council – contractor: an essential relationship
The relationship between client and contractor has never been so important writes Alan Pollard, CEO, Civil Contractors New Zealand. With challenging economic conditions, pressure on...