Local Government

services and systems

Greens give councils tools to fund tourist infrastructure

The Green Party has announced it will ensure councils get the tools they’ve been asking for, including a bed levy, to fund the infrastructure visitors use. “Councils and the communities they represent want a bed levy to reduce the pressure on ratepayers and support the tourism they’re asked to absorb. The Greens will make it happen,” says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  “From Auckland to Queenstown, Mayors don’t care about central government politicians’ squabbles about whether a levy is a tax....

Posted at October 14, 2026 3:39 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

democracy and international relations

Luxon Government decides their final say should outweigh local democracy

National Government has decided its final say matters more than local democracy by taking away the mandate for democratically elected councils to support the wellbeing of communities, says the Green Party.“This is yet another broken promise from a coalition that campaigned on localism and building the relationship between government and councils, only to pass a law that gives Government the final say over those who are locally elected,” says Green Party Local Government spokesperson, Mike Davidson. “The Local Government Systems...

Posted at September 17, 2026 9:13 AM by Mike Davidson

democracy and international relations

Government's council shake-up ignores its own advice

The Green Party says today's local government reorganisation announcement is fundamentally undemocratic, shows a lack of understanding of how local government operates, and ignores the findings of the Government's own expert bodies."Today's announcement is fundamentally undemocratic and a cynical move in election year. None of the coalition parties campaigned on this," says Green Party spokesperson for Local Government, Mike Davidson. "It shows a disregard for community input, and ignores the findings of both the independent Infrastructure Commission and the Future...

Posted at May 05, 2026 6:00 PM by Mike Davidson

democracy and international relations

Rates caps little more than a distraction from Govt’s own failings

The Government’s plan to limit council rates rises to four per cent will inevitably lead to poorer local service provision, and communities being worse off.“This is little more than a distraction tactic, and it will come at the expense of our communities across Aotearoa,” says the Green Party's Local Government spokesperson, Celia Wade-Brown. “Capping rates does nothing to fix the decades of significant underinvestment in local infrastructure, or the lack of alternative funding models across successive governments. It’s also completely...

Posted at December 01, 2025 4:55 PM by Celia Wade Brown

democracy and international relations

Govt revamp of regional councils hurts environment

The Government is weakening environmental management and local democracy with its changes to Regional Councils.“Not content with starving local government of resources, Luxon’s Government now wants to undermine regional councils and let the environment burn,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Local Government, Celia Wade-Brown. “Local government needs careful and considered reform, but Luxon’s version of reform here creates more uncertainty, risks downgrading environmental protection and erodes the agency of local communities.  “This is really about reducing rates at any...

Posted at November 25, 2025 6:00 PM by Celia Wade Brown

te tiriti o waitangi

Greens call for extension on Māori wards referendum

The Green Party is calling for the voting period for Māori wards to be extended after key information was left out of voting packs. “Key information about Māori wards missing from election packs could influence the course of the referendum. This is not good enough,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Democracy and Electoral Reform, Celia Wade Brown.  “We are calling for the voting period to be extended so people can make their decision with all the information they should have...

Posted at September 12, 2025 2:14 PM by Celia Wade Brown

democracy and international relations

Govt’s electoral reform weakens democracy

The Government is weakening our democracy by restricting voting rights and making it easier for the wealthy to donate to political campaigns under the cover of anonymity. “These changes represent a dark day for our democracy,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Democracy and Electoral Reform, Celia Wade Brown. “What we do with our democracy matters; who we shut out and who we afford special privileges shapes the decisions made in Parliament and the direction this country is taken in. “Requiring...

Posted at July 24, 2025 2:39 PM by Celia Wade Brown

democracy and international relations

Luxon’s ‘localism’ strikes again

The Government has used its final post-Cabinet press conference of the year to punch down on local government without offering any credible solutions to the issues our councils are facing.   “Our self-styled CEO Prime Minister is micromanaging our councils into austerity,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson on Local Government, Celia Wade Brown.  “Our councils should be supported to empower our communities, particularly in the face of climate change and the natural disasters that come with it. “However, this Government has persistently...

Posted at December 16, 2024 5:44 PM by Celia Wade Brown

te tiriti o waitangi

Vast majority of councils support Māori wards

Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government.“The voice of our councils has echoed the chorus of calls opposing the Government’s concerted campaign to erase Māori wards and silence tangata whenua voice in local government decision making” says Green Party spokesperson for Māori Development, Hūhana Lyndon. “Forty-three out of 45 councils have voted in favour of keeping...

Posted at September 06, 2024 5:30 PM by Hūhana Lyndon

democracy and international relations

Govt overreach on councils an assault on local democracy

The Government’s move to enforce austerity measures on councils is an assault on local democracy. “This shows how hollow Christopher Luxon’s commitment to localism is, but also how impervious he is to the challenges of local government,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Local Government Celia Wade-Brown. “Our councils should be supported to empower our communities, particularly in the face of climate change and the natural disasters that come with it. “However, the Prime Minister has instead chosen to punch down...

Posted at August 21, 2024 6:05 PM by Celia Wade Brown

te tiriti o waitangi

Government trying to rush Māori wards legislation through without public say

The Green Party unequivocally condemns the governing parties’ attempts to limit the public’s say on the controversial Māori wards legislation, after the select committee considering the legislation set a deadline for submissions of just five days. “This is a blatant attempt at doing democracy in the dark by shutting the public out from having its say on the incredibly controversial Māori wards legislation,” says Green Party spokesperson for Māori development Hūhana Lyndon.  “Five days. That is the amount of time this...

Posted at May 24, 2024 1:16 PM by Hūhana Lyndon

te tiriti o waitangi

Government introduces Bill to roll back Māori Wards

The Green Party has sounded the alarm over the Government’s introduction of legislation to remove Māori Wards and roll back years of progress. "Removing Māori wards would trample all over Te Tiriti and deprive Māori of the democracy they deserve," says the Green Party spokesperson for Māori Development, Hūhana Lyndon.  “Māori wards were created to establish equitable representation in local government. In this respect, communities have told us the wards work well in ensuring the unique voices and needs of Māori...

Posted at May 21, 2024 11:45 AM by Hūhana Lyndon