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Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Duncan Garner: Horizons Regional Council - 14 Iwi Agreements Rushed Through in Secret?


Local councils across New Zealand are quietly locking ratepayers into long-term co-governance arrangements without any honest conversation about the final bill. This week at Horizons Regional Council, councillors are being asked to progress 14 separate Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements under the Resource Management Act. These deals require staff, lawyers, consultants, and ongoing administration potentially forever, yet councils are treating basic financial questions from elected members as a problem.

We look at the growing culture of information overload inside local government, where massive agenda papers are dumped on councillors right before a vote. With major central government reforms coming to replace the RMA framework, rushing these commitments through on the hoof makes no sense. Ratepayers deserve to know where their money is going, especially when every dollar spent on bureaucracy is a dollar not spent on fixing roads and upgrading infrastructure.

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19 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought that Luxon was going to fix that - that's what he promised and received a mandate.

Not a word from him about fixing it in his term, if he is returned, so let's just treat it as a promise made, promise broken by the highest ranked person in National.

Trust Luxon again ?
He has proven himself to be treacherous, so there is no way he , or his party are getting my usual vote.

Anonymous said...

Its not just the financial implications, its also decison making that is being changed without any mandate from the voters.

Yes, Luxon, where the bloody hell are you?????

Anonymous said...

Who votes for these iwi people who are now being given control of every aspect of our lives ?

Nobody ?

Self appointed ?

Welcome to the Third Reich.

Anonymous said...

The rats are scurrying to shore up their ill gotten gains before the long over due winter of fiscal, non-racist responsibly turns up

Anonymous said...

Luxon has proven he is a very Week leader

Alan said...

Luxon is not a leader. At best he is a manager with no vision for NZ

anonymous said...

1. Referendum now: Democracy not ethnocracy.
(If this triggers social unrest so be it - this has been the intent all along if the He Puapua agenda becomes blocked.)

2.Re Luxon/National: hedging bets. If they do not lead the Right Coalition, then they prefer a govt of unity with Labour. He Puapua's progress is the priority for Luxon and Hipkins.

ihcpcoro said...

I just googled ''Horizons' to see where it was.
I'm an ex Wellingtonian - it's that windy place north, up the road a bit.
Opened their site, saw 'Climate Change',
Read it.
Extreme and inaccurate, unfounded, religious like bullshit.
If they were selling a product (which they are), they would be convicted of misleading advertising.
It is extremely harmful content, for the young, gullible, and stupid, which I guess is well oiver half the population in these unprecedented, enlightened times.
Please somebody, with a few biob and a bit of time, take them to court to have to legally substantiate such ratepayer funded, wasteful and totally false bullshit.
The loonies are running the asylum folks.
Give me an honest, sincere JW (or whatever) any day.
At least they have some documentary, well established evidence to back their bias.
Ameni

ihcpcoro said...

Got back on 'horizons' site to see if senior mgt images featured, just to see the geniuses running this outfit - unsurprisingly no.
However councillors - all very pakeha looking, with the regulation plastic tiki around their neck.
In reality, few elected councillors in NZ have any real influence on day to day matters - the ratepayer funded non elected do.
Back to the plastic tikians - they should all have a year long hui in the middle of the Urerewas with those the appear to advocate for, and see how well their academic theories last.
Few would know if their arse was on fire I suspect.
That's 'democracy'; for you folks.
I will never be one of their totally screwed ratepayers, for one.
(I know, a totally illogical and biased, unfounded comment, but it was my turn reciprocate)
Ameni

ihcpcoro said...

Moderator - my apologies, I used the naughty word ar*e again.
I was a little wound up by what I saw on the horizon (website).
Please edit accordingly.
Thanks.
It will never happen again, unless I get wound up ever again.
Ameni

anonymous said...

To Anon at 12.49 : Yes - but when with the 83% react and say no?

Anonymous said...

I didn't mandate this with my vote. In fact I voted for the opposite!!! I'm still waiting and mariodum is encroaching more and more!

Barend Vlaardingerbroek said...

It's only the 'f' word we feel a bit uneasy about, ihcporo. You are forgiven :-))

MODERATOR said...

I endorse the above comment.

Doug Longmire said...

I live in Palmerston North, and I watch in outrage to see co-governance being forced upon us !!!

Anonymous said...

Luxon is clearly a WEF Stooge and is a danger to democracy in New Zealand.

Anonymous said...

The govt could stop thls rort by backdating their new legislation so any of these new hurried arrangements would be null and void. Councillors could also stop it if they wish by taking their time and stalling these "mandatory" regulations. They are as complicit as the un-ele cted council staff. Many millions of dollars wasted. No wonder our regional rates are going through the roof. Why isn't msm reporting on this

ihcpcoro said...

Barend, I'm close to 80 and agree with the unnecessary and overused 'f' word.
What's left in verbal emergencies once you've implanted that as 'normal' language.
However, I come from a very ordinary, 'blue collar' (I used t o support them pre Luxon) background.
Commonplace language so to speak.
I watch little TV these days (propaganda in drag), but I'd recommend old re-runs of Mrs Browns Boys, in peak TV hours, as a far better alternative to the so called tv news.
The 'f' words falleth like rain from the heavens, but it also quite amusing.
I don't know what normal is any more.
$###$%^&*(%%)((^&$%$#**!!!!!
Ameni

yvonne said...

This is becoming to underhand and subservient to a minor percentage of our nation. Be strong councilors.

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