Category: LGFA

OPINION: Have IAWAI and NZ Water CCOs Been Given a Back Door Around Rates Caps?

Jun 25, 2026 | Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Infrastructure, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, Open Letters, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters

Backlash Grows Towards Wellington’s New “Tiaki Wai” Water Company: May 2026 Media Coverage

May 31, 2026 | Amalgamation, Contractors, Core Services, Council Funding, Council Spending, Greater Wellington Region, Hutt City, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, News, Opinion, Pollution, Porirua City, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City

Wellington Water CCO: January-March 2026 Media Coverage

Apr 4, 2026 | Amalgamation, Contractors, Core Services, Council Funding, Council Spending, Greater Wellington Region, Hutt City, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, News, Opinion, Pollution, Porirua City, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City

Household Water Costs in Hamilton City Projected to Triple within 9-years under New Water Company

Sep 1, 2025 | Article, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Infrastructure, LGFA, Local Government Reform, News, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Waikato Region

OPINION: LGNZ is Confusing Myth and Truth (Part 1)

Jul 31, 2025 | Arts and Cultural, Auckland City, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, LGFA, LGNZ, New Zealand Issues, Official Information Act, Opinion, Parliament, Protest, Rates Increases, Rubbish, Sports and Events, Three Waters, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Water Meters, Wellington City, Whanganui District

OPINION: Hamilton’s proposed “Ratepayer Assistance” Scheme Risks Becoming a Debt Trap

Jun 30, 2025 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Opinion, Rates Increases

Hamilton City Council votes to fund work towards creating new multi-council finance company

Jun 29, 2025 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, LGFA, LGNZ, New Zealand Issues, News, Rates Increases, Regulations, Voting Record

Hamilton City Council votes to reject increasing its debt-to-revenue limit to 350%

Jun 29, 2025 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Hamilton City, LGFA, News, Regulations, Voting Record

OPINION: Serious Mismanagement and Lack of Accountability with Water Services

Mar 31, 2025 | Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Kaipara District, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Protest, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Water Meters, Wellington City

OPINION: Gold-plated White Elephants

Mar 30, 2025 | Auckland City, Contractors, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading

OPINION: Breaking the Spending Addiction

Feb 26, 2025 | Auckland City, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, LGFA, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Wellington City

OPINION: How to Fix Councils

Jan 30, 2025 | Building Consent, Cities and Regions, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Elections, Hamilton City, LGFA, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Open Letters, Opinion, Overview, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases, Resource Management Act (RMA), Three Waters, Transport and Roading

LGFA

OPINION: Breaking the Spending Addiction

Feb 26, 2025 | Auckland City, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, LGFA, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Wellington City

By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Councils love spending other people’s money. But if it...

LGFA

OPINION: Have IAWAI and NZ Water CCOs Been Given a Back Door Around Rates Caps?

Jun 25, 2026 | Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Infrastructure, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, Open Letters, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters

By Geoff Kreegher (Hamilton Ratepayer) Exempt From Rates Cap As the Government advances its...

Additional Posts

CANDIDATE OPINION: Roger Stratford

Aug 30, 2025 | Climate Change and Weather, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Elections, Freedom of Expression, Global Warming, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, LGFA, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, Opinion, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading

Roger Stratford’s Invited Opinion Piece [All contactable candidates for the 2025 Hamilton...

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Council Performance Information Released by Internal Affairs

Aug 1, 2025 | Article, Cities, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, LGFA, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Rates Increases, Regions, Resources

Summary Internal Affairs has released its first set of council performance information which can...

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OPINION: Hamilton City Council Borrowing to Increase

Sep 16, 2024 | Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Meetings, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, LGFA, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters

The government is allowing debt to rise to 500% of waters revenue for new “Local Water Done Well” Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs). There are also plans to increase the borrowing limit for high growth councils to 350% of council revenue.

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