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...
Category : National Politics
A logical district merger
Image: Diagram of possible Unitary Authority boundary. Bill Foster, Chair of the Northern Action Group, explains the reasoning behind merging the Kaipara District with North...
Government knows best
Regional councils have worked for almost four decades, but now the Government, in its second year of office, has decided, “local government has lost the...
Government sets consent expectations
Chris Bishop, the Minister for RMA Reform, along with the Ministers for Agriculture and the Environment, has sent clear expectations to all regional and unitary...
Sharing the pain
Reports from Australia indicate the local government sector has reached a crossroads, where federal and state funding no longer covers the extra services and responsibilities...
Deciding between Bishop’s choice
Auckland Council’s Policy and Planning Committee conducted an intense and heated seven-hour meeting back in September to consider two Government options for Auckland’s future planning...
They just don’t care
Local Government in our new Aotearoa is only ‘local democracy’ in theory and not in reality, reflected in the small percentage of eligible voters who...
We offer practical knowledge to policymakers
Voting in the local body elections is in progress and we are already turning our attention to the national elections next year, with the three-year...
Local Government in crisis
As we stare down another election this month, Paula Southgate warns that constant criticism and bad behaviour are undermining local government. Councils are under siege...
The right steps for economic recovery
For the past 18 months or so, the civil construction sector (like other parts of the New Zealand construction industry) has experienced a sharp decline...