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DARK SECRETS: Local government nz - The Real Truth

Three Waters assets to move to new council-owned companies

National wants to protect ratepayers from soaring bills by moving the drinking water, wastewater and some stormwater assets off council balance sheets – while avoiding compulsion or co-governance. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Sour grapes in wine country: 'No confidence' vote for outspoken mayor

Martin Connelly publicly derided a local resident for not knowing the meaning of the word 'hyperbole'. Now he's the one accused of over-the-top criticisms of councillors and staff. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Clock tiktoks down on lower voting age in local elections

Today, for the first time, Parliament will debate a bill to allow 16-year-olds to vote and be elected as councillors – a law change quietly introduced in the final days before the House rises. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

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The government we elect will shape the councils that decide our rates and roads

The pre-election uncertainty hanging over local councils has stalled much of their work, such that some mayors are muttering about a snap election, to be done with it. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Cash retention payments to stop Three Waters engineers fleeing uncertainty

The Government created 10 water corporations to give local communities more control, but new changes to the Three Waters reform package ensure they will share the same employment contracts, the same IT systems, and more. Jonathan Milne reports from the Local Government NZ conference in Christchurch.

Newsroom.co.nz

Battered trust the biggest hurdle to bold new local government funding model

City mayors are pushing for new funding deals that would devolve more responsibility for infrastructure and social services to local communities. Jonathan Milne reports from the Local Government NZ conference in Christchurch.

Newsroom.co.nz

Emergency resilience and infrastructure are two sides of same battered coin

As the country's mayors meet for their big Local Government NZ conference in Christchurch, the quake-stricken city's former mayor warns of a renewed failure to align resilient infrastructure and robust emergency management.

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Govt 'open minded' on paying rates for schools, hospitals, conservation land

Local government leaders welcome official work on new tools to address 'funding crisis' for councils, ahead of the coming month's independent review. Jonathan Milne reports.

Newsroom.co.nz

Auckland pulls a Brexit - on the mayor's casting vote

The great southern joke that New Zealand does indeed end at the Bombay Hills, but that it starts at Bluff, takes on a new hue now with Auckland Council breaking away from the sector organisation Local Government NZ

Newsroom.co.nz

Council elections review: 'Local democracy is too important to just let slide'

Local Govt NZ seeks cross-party support for short, sharp, independent review of local elections, after the fiasco of record-low turnout and unrepresentative results.

Newsroom.co.nz

Proposal to break central-local deadlock on Three Waters and climate

The Three Waters tensions are a symptom of a deeper democracy and legitimacy problem, says visiting author, that can only be addressed by allowing New Zealanders to participate in decision-making.

Newsroom.co.nz

When rates don't rate it: Incoming councillors seek bold revenue solutions

Newsroom election survey: Local candidates want to spend more – and they are willing to investigate new ways to pay for it.

Newsroom.co.nz

Most council candidates would maintain or expand co-governance with Māori

A Newsroom survey of local election contenders reveals unexpected support to expand co-governance with iwi Māori – and already, some councils are embracing those principles.

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