Local Government

New Zealand should be the best country in the world .

The best country to live in.

Councils have played a major part in the history of  New Zealand and were once respected bodies and the Town Clerk and Mayor were key figures in communities.

The latest move by Government to shake up Local Government in New Zealand is a response to years of lobbying by those who believe bigger is better and that amalgamations and mergers and even cancelling will serve up a better dinner for the long suffering ratepayer.

In recent years we have seen the Auckland monster created by Rodney Hide (I  wonder if he still thinks it was a good idea) and rates that were supposed to be lower because of efficiencies and scale but instead have continued on the upward path.

In Local Government  bigger is not better. It's the nature of the beast.

NZ has a problem. Yes Local Government needs fixing .

Getting rid of Regional Councils and forcing amalgamations is not the answer. I repeat it is NOT the answer. 

So back to basics.

What is the problem.

The problem is the Local Government Act and to a lesser extent the Resource Management Act .

Why are people crying for Local Government to be fixed. Because rates keep going up.

That is the problem.

The problem is the Local Government Act and to a lesser  extent the Resource Management Act.

Developing a bespoke Act to try and change the quantum of rates increases is a flawed attempt to correct a problem and in fact I will speculate now and suggest that if these reforms are pushed through they will result in a worse situation and greater increases in rates.

There is a host of issues tied up in Local Government that will not be solved by bigger bodies and less representation.

I feel I will have to expand on this issue as more of the agenda is exposed.