Fiona Mackenzie: Councils Hasten To Embed Tribal Control

…before 2025’s local body elections, Māori ward referenda, RMA reform, or the Coalition Government gets off its chuff!

The Coalition Government talks about refocusing councils on their core responsibilities. Yet it—like governments before it—has actively encouraged “partnership” arrangements between local government and tribes. While Wellington pretends to stand back, councils across New Zealand are committing constitutional fraud.

Guy C. Charlton: There is a ceiling on rate increases

There is a ceiling on rate increases. It’s time to look for alternatives to local government funding

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown’s recent unsuccessful demand to have the central government repay the GST levied on property rates is the latest salvo in the battle over funding for local government in New Zealand.

It points to the topsy-turvy state of local government finance and the inability of central government to address local government financial and public policy concerns.

Fiona Mackenzie: A Grab for the Gulf

The feeling of having been totally out-manoeuvred has become a common sensation amongst Auckland regional ratepayers – and they don’t know half of what is going on. This powerlessness extends to some of the well-meaning City Councillors who thought they were being elected to work for the people; they now see themselves as fall guys, taking the rap for conniving bureaucrats, greedy iwi and unscrupulous politicians.

Latest Target

Currently, there’s a scheme being executed to gain control of the Hauraki Gulf and its surrounds. It’ll give a few from 26 tribal groups incredible power over a massive and very critical 4,000km² body of water (from near Mangawhai in the North down to Waihi in the south, and beyond Great Barrier Island to the east), along with the significant land catchments bordering the entire eastern coast of Auckland, the extensive Hauraki Plains, the entire Coromandel Peninsula, and the many islands of the Gulf.