David Farrar: 19 Councils have increases rates more than 40% this triennium

The every useful Rates Report from NZTU shows how much rates have increased for each Council in the last three years, and the numbers are staggering. The 10 worst offenders are:

• West Coast Regional Council – 66%

• Greater Wellington Regional Council – 56%

• Taranaki Regional Council – 51%

• Queenstown-Lakes District Council – 50%

• Hastings District Council – 49%

• Central Otago District Council – 48%

• Wellington City Council – 47%

• Upper Hutt City Council – 47%

• Gore District Council – 47%

• Otago Regional Council – 46%

The breakdown by size of increase is:

• Over 50%: 4

• 40% to 50%: 15

• 30% to 30%: 35

• 20% to 30%: 21

• Under 20%: 3

Inflation over this period was 13.7%.

Here’s how the major cities compare:

• Auckland 21%

• Christchurch 24%

• Wellington 47%

Thanks Tory!

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders