Category: Consultation
OPINION: A Failure of Education and a Failure of Governance
Dec 4, 2025 | Cities and Regions, Consultation, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Fixing Councils Series, Global Warming, Government Organisations, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases
OPINION: Regional Council Reforms Should Focus on Reducing Bureaucracy not Reducing Democracy
Dec 4, 2025 | Amalgamation, Cities and Regions, Consultation, Contractors, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases
OPINION: The End of Regional Councils?
Dec 4, 2025 | Amalgamation, Building Consent, Cities and Regions, Consultation, Core Services, Council Spending, Government Organisations, Hamilton City, Housing supply, Incoming Legislation, Infrastructure, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Professional Managerial Class, Property Rights, Regulations, Resource Management Act (RMA), Safety and Well-being
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
OPINION: Six Major Reasons to Oppose Road Pricing
Apr 22, 2025 | Article, Auckland City, Christchurch City, Consultation, Council Debt, Council Funding, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Internet of Things, Law and Legislation, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Petitions, Protest, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading, Wellington City
OPINION: Commentary on the Time of Use Charging Amendment Bill
Mar 31, 2025 | Auckland City, Consultation, Council Funding, Incoming Legislation, Internet of Things, Law and Legislation, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Transport and Roading
Consultation
PopularColin Jones on Hamilton City Council’s Long-Term Plan
May 15, 2024 | Article, Consultation, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Official Information Act, Open Letters, Opinion, Parks and Reserves, Rates Increases, Taking Action
On 15 May 2024, Colin Jones presented to Hamilton City Council about the Long-Term Plan. Video of...
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Consultation Closes 08 January 2026: “Land Transport (Revenue) Amendment Bill”
Dec 4, 2025 | Auckland City, Buller District, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Consultation, Core Services, Council Funding, Council Spending, Data-driven, Dunedin City, Far North District, Global Agendas, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Infrastructure, Internet of Things, 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, Porirua City, Rangitīkei District, Regions, Regulations, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading, Upper Hutt City, Voting Record, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Whanganui District
Consultation
LatestOPINION: Bad Faith, a Missing Graph, and the Creation of the IAWAI Water Company
May 7, 2026 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Open Letters, Opinion, Taking Action, Water Meters
By John McDonald (CityWatch NZ Editor) Summary This opinion piece covers the formation of the new...
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Consultation Closes 27 February 2026: “Inquiry into the 2025 Local Elections”
Feb 23, 2026 | Auckland 2025, Auckland City, Buller District, Christchurch 2025, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Consultation, Contractors, Direct Democracy, Dunedin 2025, Dunedin City, Elections, Far North District, Freedom of Expression, Government Organisations, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton 2025, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Invercargill City, Kaipara District, Kapiti Coast District, Law and Legislation, Nelson City, New Plymouth District, New Zealand Issues, News, Palmerston North City, Parliament, Porirua City, Rangitīkei District, Regions, Regulations, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Upper Hutt City, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Wellington 2025, Wellington City, Whanganui District
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Consultation Closes 08 January 2026: “Building and Construction Sector” Amendment Bills
Dec 11, 2025 | Auckland City, Building Consent, Buller District, Christchurch City, Cities, Cities and Regions, Code of Conduct complaints, Consultation, Contractors, Core Services, Data-driven, Dunedin City, Far North District, Freedom of Expression, Government Organisations, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Housing supply, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Infrastructure, 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, Parliament, Porirua City, Rangitīkei District, Regions, Regulations, Resource Management Act (RMA), Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Upper Hutt City, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Whanganui District
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OPINION: A Failure of Education and a Failure of Governance
Dec 4, 2025 | Cities and Regions, Consultation, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Fixing Councils Series, Global Warming, Government Organisations, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Parliament, Professional Managerial Class, Rates Increases
Additional Posts
Consultation Closes on 20 January 2026: “Simplifying Local Government” Proposed Reforms of Regional Councils
Dec 4, 2025 | Amalgamation, Article, Buller District, Christchurch City, Cities, Consultation, Core Services, Council Finances, Council Meetings, Dunedin City, Elections, Far North District, Government Organisations, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Invercargill City, Kaipara District, Kapiti Coast District, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Plymouth District, New Zealand Issues, News, Palmerston North City, Parliament, Porirua City, Public Transport, Rail, Rangitīkei District, Regions, Regulations, Resource Management Act (RMA), Tauranga City, Upper Hutt City, Waikato Region, Waipa District, Wellington City, Whanganui District
Summary On 25 November 2025, the Minister of Local Government Simon Watts and Minster of RMA...
Read MoreConsultation Closes 9 November 2025: Morrinsville Road upgrades, Hamilton
Oct 28, 2025 | Consultation, Disruptions, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, News, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
The public consultation for the proposed Morrinsville Road upgrades closes on 9 November 2025. The...
Read MoreConsultation 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...
Read MoreConsultation Closes 27 April 2025: “Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill”
Apr 1, 2025 | Auckland City, Christchurch City, Cities, Consultation, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Dunedin City, Global Agendas, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Internet of Things, Invercargill City, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Mode Shift, Nelson City, New Zealand Issues, News, Palmerston North City, Porirua City, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City
The Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Bill is currently before...
Read MoreConsultations April 2025: “Local Water Done Well” Water Service Reforms
Mar 31, 2025 | Christchurch City, Cities, Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Dunedin City, Greater Wellington Region, Hamilton City, Hutt City, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Porirua City, Taking Action, Tauranga City, Three Waters, Upper Hutt City, Water Meters, Wellington City
There are “Local Water Done Well” consultations running at councils around the country with many...
Read MoreOPINION: Eager Beavers Beat Government Experts
Feb 28, 2025 | Consultation, Government Organisations, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Professional Managerial Class, Regulations, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action
By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Photo: Fritz Geller-Grimm, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA...
Read MoreHamilton’s $689,000 raised crossing design replaced with a $546,000 “at-level” crossing
Feb 28, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record
On 23 October 2024, Hamilton City Council voted to redesign the planned raised crossing on...
Read MoreOPINION: Giggles & Failure – How Hamilton City Council Approved Another Raised Platform on Wairere Drive
Feb 28, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Opinion, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Voting Record
By John McDonald (CityWatch NZ Editor and 2024 Hamilton East Ward By-election Candidate) In March...
Read MoreOPINION: Wairere Drive Speed Reduction Submission
Feb 27, 2025 | Consultation, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, Open Letters, Opinion, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
By Geoff Kreegher (Hamilton Ratepayer) [Excerpt from Geoff Kreegher’s Submission for the...
Read MoreConsultation Closes 28 February 2025: Hamilton City’s District Plan Change 14
Jan 30, 2025 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Flood Risk, Global Warming, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Law and Legislation, Natural Hazards, New Zealand Issues, News, Property Rights, Taking Action
The public consultation for changing the Hamilton City District Plan based on flood risk modelling...
Read MoreConsultation Closes 7 March 2025: Lowering Speed Limit on Wairere Drive, Hamilton
Jan 30, 2025 | Consultation, Disruptions, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Hostile Architecture, News, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
The public consultation for lowering the speed limit on Hamilton’s Wairere Drive closes on 7...
Read MoreNews coverage of the meetings to oppose the Tararua toll road
Oct 25, 2024 | Cities and Regions, Consultation, Council Spending, Emergency Services, Health and Safety, News, Palmerston North City, Protest, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Safety and Well-being, Toll Roads, Transport and Roading
Summary State Highway 3 through the Manawatū Gorge was closed in 2017 due to slips. Saddle road is...
Read MoreHamilton’s $689,000 raised crossing delayed
Oct 1, 2024 | Consultation, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Emergency Services, Hamilton City, Health and Safety, Hostile Architecture, Mode Shift, News, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Vision Zero, Voting Record
On Thursday (26 September 2024) Hamilton City Council voted to delay a decision on the plans for a...
Read MoreOmbudsman surveying public on OIA/LGOIMA and council transparency (closes 29 November 2024)
Sep 30, 2024 | Auckland City, Consultation, Freedom of Expression, Greater Wellington Region, Hutt City, New Zealand Issues, News, Official Information Act, Porirua City, Taking Action, Three Waters, Upper Hutt City, Wellington City
The Chief Ombudsman is undertaking self-initiated investigations into the official information...
Read MoreRNZ articles on congestion charging and time-of-use charging (July-August 2024)
Aug 18, 2024 | Auckland City, Consultation, Council Funding, Hamilton City, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, News, Rates Increases, Road Pricing and Congestion Charges, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Tauranga City, Transport and Roading, Wellington City
Summary Radio New Zealand (RNZ) covers the push to legalise congestion charges and time-of-use...
Read MoreHamilton City Council Parks and Open Spaces survey closes 29 July 2024
Jul 25, 2024 | Consultation, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Parks and Reserves, Taking Action, Transport and Roading
An opportunity to educate the Hamilton City Council on how the City’s parks and public...
Read MoreOPINION: Rage against the machine
Jul 3, 2024 | Code of Conduct complaints, Consultation, Freedom of Expression, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, News, Opinion, Protest, Waipa District
By Andrew Bydder A message I sent to Waipa council as a private citizen and resident of the...
Read MoreOPINION: A bridge too far
Jul 3, 2024 | Code of Conduct complaints, Consultation, Council Spending, Freedom of Expression, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Mode Shift, News, Opinion, Parks and Reserves, Protest, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, Waipa District
By Andrew Bydder The sleepy leafy suburbs of quaint conservative Cambridge were torn apart by...
Read MoreKāpiti Coastal Advisory Panel and managed retreat: June 2024 updates
Jun 30, 2024 | Article, Cities and Regions, Climate Change and Weather, Consultation, Council Meetings, Flood Risk, Global Agendas, Global Warming, Greater Wellington Region, International Organisation, Kapiti Coast District, Managed Retreat, Natural Hazards, New Zealand Issues, News, Opinion, Protest, Resource Management Act (RMA), Taking Action, United Nations
June 2024 has been a busy month for the issues of climate change adaptation and managed retreat....
Read MoreOPINION: 100% Rates Rise
Jun 21, 2024 | Consultation, Council Finances, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Elections, Hamilton City, News, Opinion, Rates Increases
By Andrew Bydder, Hamilton City Councillor Hamilton City Council’s Long-term Plan – what you need...
Read MoreHamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 3 Highlights
Jun 10, 2024 | Article, Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Mode Shift, News, Opinion, Rates Increases, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
Selected speakers from the 3rd day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...
Read MoreHamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 2 Highlights
Jun 7, 2024 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Rates Increases, Taking Action, Transport and Roading
Selected speakers from the 2nd day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...
Read MoreHamilton City Council Long-Term Plan Hearings: Day 1 Highlights
May 30, 2024 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Mode Shift, News, Rates Increases, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Three Waters, Traffic Calming, UN 2030 Agenda
Selected speakers from the 1st day of the public hearings for the Hamilton City Council Long-Term...
Read MoreProtest outside Hamilton City Council on the 17th of May
May 11, 2024 | Consultation, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Petitions, Protest, Rates Increases, Taking Action
A protest is being planned for the last day of the “verbal submissions“ phase of Hamilton City...
Read MoreOPINION: Margaret Evans’ submission on the Hamilton City Long-Term Plan
Apr 21, 2024 | Article, Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Meetings, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Local Government Reform, News, Open Letters, Opinion, Parks and Reserves, Taking Action
By Margaret Evans (former Mayor and Hamilton Ratepayer) To the Mayor and Councillors:...
Read MoreOPINION: What to keep and what to cut in Hamilton’s Long-Term Plan?
Apr 20, 2024 | Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Spending, Crime, Hamilton City, Hamilton East Ward 2024 By-election, Mode Shift, Opinion, Parks and Reserves, Rates Increases, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Surveillance, Taking Action, Three Waters, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
By John McDonald, 2024 Hamilton East Ward By-election Candidate One of the main narratives being...
Read MoreOPINION: Analysis of Hamilton City Council’s financial position
Apr 19, 2024 | Consultation, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Official Information Act, Opinion, Rates Increases, Taking Action
By Geoff Kreegher (Hamilton Ratepayer) In preparation of the 2024-34 Long Term Plan the Mayor...
Read MoreLong-Term Plan consultation guide
Apr 15, 2024 | Article, Cities, Consultation, Core Services, Council Debt, Council Spending, Guides, Hamilton City, Law and Legislation, Overview, Resources, Taking Action, Wellington City
In New Zealand, city councils usually produce a Long-Term Plan every three years. The council’s...
Read MoreOPINION: Why is Hamilton City Council unable to prepare and promise a financial budget that works?
Apr 13, 2024 | Consultation, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Opinion, Rates Increases, Taking Action
By Prudintis (a Hamilton City Ratepayer) Last year’s reported “balancing the books” deficit of...
Read MorePetition to stop rates increases and growing debt at Hamilton City Council
Apr 10, 2024 | Consultation, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, News, Petitions, Protest, Rates Increases, Taking Action
This petition is running on change.org and is titled “STOP HAMILTON CITY COUNCIL RATE...
Read MoreConsultation for the Hamilton City Council Long-term Plan 2024-2034
Mar 29, 2024 | Article, Consultation, Council Debt, Council Finances, Council Funding, Council Spending, Hamilton City, Local Government Reform, News, Rates Increases, Resources, Taking Action
[UPDATE (03 August 2024): Hamilton City Council’s Long-Term Plan was approved by Council vote on...
Read MoreOPINION: Comparing the coalition’s draft transport General Policy Statement (GPS) with Labour’s version
Mar 23, 2024 | Cities and Regions, Climate Change and Weather, Consultation, Elections, Global Agendas, Incoming Legislation, International Organisation, Local Government Reform, New Zealand Issues, Opinion, Overview, Public Transport, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading, UN 2030 Agenda, United Nations, Vision Zero
By John McDonald, 2024 Hamilton East Ward By-election Candidate and CityWatch NZ editor The...
Read MoreConsultation finishes on 2 April 2024 for the draft GPS on land transport
Mar 7, 2024 | Cities, Cities and Regions, Consultation, Core Services, Council Funding, Incoming Legislation, Law and Legislation, Local Government Reform, Mode Shift, New Zealand Issues, News, Public Transport, Regions, Safety and Well-being, Smart Cities (+ 20-minute Cities), Taking Action, Traffic Calming, Transport and Roading
Send your feedback to the Ministry of Transport before noon on the 2nd of April 2024 regarding the...
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