Local government leaders used the opening day of Local Government New Zealand’s SuperLocal conference in Rotorua to call for greater certainty on reforms, push back against rates caps and urge changes to the way councils are funded.
The discussions came as new polling showed councils are trusted more than central government.
More than 600 local government and industry leaders attended the first day of the two-day annual conference at Rotorua’s Energy Events Centre today.
Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell said hosting the conference was a significant opportunity for the city, especially as local government reform and funding issues were in the spotlight before next month’s election.
“There are a lot of topics that really matter to our communities, such as potential reforms, rates capping, whether we’re going to keep our water services local,” Tapsell said.
Rotorua has been at the centre of the Head Start reform debate in recent months, with councillors divided over reform options and the council forced to seek an extension after a proposed regional approach fell apart shortly before the Government’s deadline.
Tapsell said councils were still waiting for clarity on several government proposals having been “left in limbo” by Government announcements before they were legislated.
“We’re all hanging on the cliff edge for the 7th of November,” she said, referring to this year’s general election.
She said it was “a shame” Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was not at the conference, although Local Government Minister Simon Watts was expected to address delegates tomorrow.
The comments came as LGNZ released polling suggesting councils enjoy significantly higher levels of public trust than central government.
The survey found 54% of New Zealanders trusted their council to make decisions for their community, compared with 24% who trusted central government.
LGNZ president Rehette Stoltz said the findings showed councils remained closely connected to the communities they served.
“Reforms will come and go, structures will change, and the challenges will continue, but the commitment to serve our communities and the strength we find in supporting one another must never change,” she said in her opening address.
Many of the issues highlighted by the poll featured prominently during a “Kingmakers” political panel featuring representatives from Act, NZ First, Te Pāti Māori, the Green Party and TOP.
TOP candidate Sarah Lucas criticised proposed rates caps, saying they were “about central government trying to control local government”, and said her party would “abolish rates caps”.
Green Party local government spokesman Mike Davidson described a rates cap as “a blunt saw” that “will not work”, warning councils could be forced to increase fees and defer investment in infrastructure.
Act MP Simon Court said councils faced cost pressures but argued: “The first and only answer can’t just be we need more money”. Reflecting on the Government’s paused Head Start reforms, he added: “In a coalition, sometimes you have to let them do their thing”.
Former Wellington Mayor and NZ First list MP Andy Foster was also critical of the process, saying the timeframe councils were given for Head Start proposals “was not found reasonable” and “didn’t allow you to consult with your communities properly”.
Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi said reforms should not sideline Māori voices, arguing it was “better to be sitting around the table with Māori at the council table rather than sitting opposite in the boardroom”.
The issue of council funding drew rare agreement across the political spectrum, with speakers backing various forms of revenue sharing, including returning a share of GST generated through growth and development to councils.
The debate is expected to continue tomorrow when Watts fronts up, with funding, rates caps and the paused Head Start reforms likely to be on the agenda.
Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.