By DaveForCouncil, on October 3rd, 2025
Source Diane McCarthy PDF
REAL Rates Reform is upon us and the way to get is to make it an election issue in 2026
You can stand on the sideline and rubbish the idea, or you can roll up your sleeves and support the campaign to bring real relief to unaffordable rates.
Who’s side are . . . → Read More: Article: Candidate promises to focus on rates reform
By DaveForCouncil, on August 22nd, 2025
Asked again if water costs would be cheaper, he said, “I’m out of time”, and walked into the debating chamber. . . . → Read More: Article: Government no longer saying its water reforms will be cheaper than Labour’s
By DaveForCouncil, on August 18th, 2025
Wellington City Council did support several parts of the bill, such as measuring council performance, strengthening transparency and accountability and providing regulatory relief. Core services have been defined in the bill as network infrastructure, public transport services, waste management, civil defence emergency management, libraries, museums, reserves, and other recreational facilities. While museums were listed as a core service, festivals, live performances, stadiums, concert halls and large theatres were not. The submission points to the economic benefit of events such as the council-supported World of WearableArt show, which contributed more than $31 million to the city last year. . . . → Read More: Article: Wellington City Council pushes back on Government’s ‘back to basics’ bill
By DaveForCouncil, on August 2nd, 2025
Source Dave Stewart PDF
I want to thank Peter Minten for his opinion piece (Where is your research?, Beacon. July 25) and acknowledging that the forces of conservatism are lining up our community owned assets for sale in order to pay for our 3 Waters infrastructure. Honesty like that needs to be applauded.
At a . . . → Read More: Opinion: A mature conversation about unaffordable rates
By DaveForCouncil, on July 31st, 2025
The cost of water services would be going up a lot, Kircher said, but less so under a joint model. Now, keeping the services in-house, his council’s total rates take would have to increase by 25% next year, and a further 30% the year after. The council would be reviewing its long term plan to find savings and lessen this. . . . → Read More: Article: About 40 water entities emerging in Government water regime
By DaveForCouncil, on July 9th, 2025
OPINION: What do we do about 78 councils, rising rates and the need to improve efficiency and focus on the basics? Some argue the Government should simply pass a law to cap rates and let ‘the market’ sort itself out. But history tells us blunt interventions often generate unintended consequences. When councils have focused purely on rate minimisation in the past, they’ve generally cut infrastructure maintenance, inspections and deferred capital investment, contributing to a significant proportion of New Zealand’s $200 billion infrastructure deficit. Government wants to grow the economy and speed up housing development. Yet, ironically, it needs councils to enable housing growth, through investments in roads, water, transport and other essential services. Capping rates without addressing the funding model simply kneecaps councils’ ability to invest. Without money, projects don’t proceed and assets deteriorate. . . . → Read More: Article: The argument against council rate caps
By DaveForCouncil, on July 8th, 2025
“Having created a situation where councils are being forced to put up the rates to pay for things like water infrastructure, the government’s now trying to blame them for doing something that they really don’t have a choice but to do. “Ultimately if the government don’t want councils to increase rates, they’ve got to find another way of funding the water infrastructure that we need.” Local Government New Zealand president and Selwyn District mayor Sam Broughton said rates capping could be “disastrous for communities” and leave councils without the means to fund essential infrastructure. . . . → Read More: Article: Capping rates rises would make things ‘worse not better’ – Chris Hipkins
By DaveForCouncil, on June 17th, 2025
New Zealand’s rising rates are primarily due to increasing costs for local councils, including infrastructure upgrades, population growth, and inflation, leading to higher rates to fund essential services and meet community needs. . . . → Read More: The Real Reasons Behind New Zealand’s Rates Increases
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