Category: New Zealand Issues

OPINION: Taxpayers’ Union Misrepresented Candidates’ Views with the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” Campaign

Nov 1, 2025 | Auckland 2025, Auckland City, Council Funding, Council Spending, Elections, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Official Information Act, Opinion, Rates Increases

Newsroom article: “Ratepayers rout mayors who imposed big rises”

Oct 31, 2025 | Asset Sales, Buller District, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Dunedin City, Elections, Far North District, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, Infrastructure, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Rates Increases, Three Waters, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Wellington 2025, Wellington City, Whanganui District

October 2025 Coverage of S&P’s “New Zealand Water Reforms Don’t Guarantee Rating Relief For Local Councils” Report

Oct 31, 2025 | Article, Auckland City, Christchurch City, Cities and Regions, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Developer Contributions, Dunedin City, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Infrastructure, Invercargill City, Law and Legislation, LGFA, Local Government Reform, Nelson City, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Palmerston North City, Porirua City, Three Waters, Upper Hutt City, Water Meters, Wellington City

OPINION: LGNZ is Confusing Myth and Truth (Part 2)

Sep 3, 2025 | Auckland City, Climate Change and Weather, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Global Agendas, Global Warming, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Incoming Legislation, International, International Organisation, Internet of Things, Kaipara District, Law and Legislation, LGNZ, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Professional Managerial Class, Property Rights, Protest, Rates Increases, Regulations, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, UN 2030 Agenda, United Nations, Water Meters, WEF, Wellington City

Newsroom covers the Building Nations conference and “the great privatisation”

Sep 1, 2025 | Article, Asset Sales, Cities, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Developer Contributions, Global Agendas, International, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Regulations, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Three Waters, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading, WEF

OPINION: Transforming New Zealand’s Local Government

Aug 31, 2025 | Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cities, Consultation, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Data-driven, Direct Democracy, Fixing Councils Series, Flood Risk, Infrastructure, International, Internet of Things, Law and Legislation, Libraries and Museums, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parks and Reserves, Public Transport, Recycling, Sports and Events, Transport and Roading

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

Low rates increases achieved at Whanganui District Council – RNZ reports

Aug 1, 2025 | Article, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, New Zealand Issues, News, Rates Increases

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: Roundabouts, Crossings and Common Sense (or Lack Thereof)

Jul 31, 2025 | Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Hostile Architecture, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Whanganui District

LGNZ holds annual conference and engages in propaganda war with Taxpayers’ Union

Jul 31, 2025 | Buller District, Christchurch City, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Dunedin City, Far North District, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Invercargill City, Kapiti Coast District, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, Nelson City, New Plymouth District, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Palmerston North City, Petitions, Porirua City, Professional Managerial Class, Protest, Rangitīkei District, Rates Increases, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Upper Hutt City, Voting Record, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Wellington City, Whanganui District

Why are Councils Leaving LGNZ?

Jul 31, 2025 | Article, Cities, Climate Change and Weather, Council Finances, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Global Agendas, Global Warming, Government Organisations, LGNZ, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Regions, Taking Action, Voting Record

New Zealand Issues

BOP Times Article: Tauranga raised pedestrian crossing ripped out after vibration issues, returned to original design

Nov 2, 2024 | Council Spending, Hostile Architecture, New Zealand Issues, News, Tauranga City, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading

Summary A raised pedestrian crossing in the Matua suburb of Tauranga is being removed and replaced...

New Zealand Issues

OPINION: Taxpayers’ Union Misrepresented Candidates’ Views with the “Ratepayer Protection Pledge” Campaign

Nov 1, 2025 | Auckland 2025, Auckland City, Council Funding, Council Spending, Elections, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Official Information Act, Opinion, Rates Increases

By John McDonald (CityWatch NZ Editor and Hamilton East Ward/Mayoral Candidate) Were over...

Additional Posts

Petition to “Stop New Zealand’s Electronic Road User Charges (eRUC) Surveillance System”

Aug 17, 2025 | Electromagnetic Pollution, Incoming Legislation, Internet of Things, Law and Legislation, New Zealand Issues, News, Petitions, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Surveillance, Taking Action, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading

This petition is running on change.org and is titled “Stop New Zealand’s Electronic Road User Charges (eRUC) Surveillance System”. Within the first 7 days, over 14,900 had signed the petition. The petition is...

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Consultation Closes 27 August 2025: “Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill”

Aug 10, 2025 | Arts and Cultural, Auckland City, Buller District, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Code of Conduct complaints, Consultation, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Developer Contributions, Dunedin City, Far North District, Freedom of Expression, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Invercargill City, Kaipara District, Kapiti Coast District, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Nelson City, New Plymouth District, New Zealand Issues, News, Palmerston North City, Parks and Reserves, Porirua City, Rangitīkei District, Regions, Regulations, Safety and Well-being, Sports and Events, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Upper Hutt City, Voting Record, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Whanganui District

The Local Government (System Improvements) Amendment Bill is currently before Parliament. Public...

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Investigating New Zealand’s Local Government Act 2002 – A Layperson’s Guide

Jun 30, 2025 | Article, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Guides, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Overview, Resources

CityWatch NZ contributor and adult educator Don Hewison (ScEdD, ChEdD) is making available his...

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OPEN LETTER: John McDonald’s Feedback on the Public Works (Critical Infrastructure) Amendment Bill

Jun 30, 2025 | Government Organisations, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, New Zealand Issues, Open Letters, Opinion, Parliament, Property Rights, Regulations, Transport and Roading

John McDonald supplies a copy of his feedback on the Public Works (Critical Infrastructure)...

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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

Summary The Local Government Funding Agency (LGFA), Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), Cameron...

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