No matter which parties form the next Government, Infrastructure New Zealand Chief Executive Nick Leggett says they need to pick up and run with the Review into the Future for Local Government’s final report which has just been released echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); This review is an excellent canvass of the issues and provides a toolbox of solutions for the next Government to choose from. Continue →

Creating Regional Planning Committees to take over local councils’ planning responsibilities will only result in higher building costs, more red tape, no local control and more co-governance, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); Under the Government’s plan to cut red tape created by the Resource Management Act, which has driven a housing and infrastructure crisis, three new pieces of legislation will be introduced to replace the Act. Continue →

Wellington is faced with a $6 million bill to do work on 17,000 LED streetlights which are prone to falling – a consequence of local and central government once again prioritising price over quality and longevity echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); The streetlights were installed across the city in 2018 but it has since been discovered that the adaptors are not suited to Wellington’s strong winds, causing the lamps, which weigh up to 11.2kg, to either droop or, in worst cases, detach and fall to the ground. Continue →

Proposals from Hamilton and Christchurch City Councils to create supercities like Auckland would increase costs for ratepayers, undermine local control and reduce democratic accountability, the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union says echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); The Union is also calling on the Government to commission an independent review of the Auckland supercity that amalgamated the former Auckland Regional Council and seven district and city councils. Continue →

The old RMA is broken, but the new legislation puts even more distance between communities and decision-makers, says Local Government New Zealand President Stuart Crosby echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); There are grave concerns that councils will lose their power to make the best planning decisions for their community under the new resource management system. Continue →

Local government must be revitalised in order for New Zealand communities to thrive, says a draft report published by the Review into the Future for Local Government echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); The Review’s draft report, He mata whāriki, he matawhānui, poses key questions and 29 draft recommendations to provoke discussion about how New Zealand’s local government system can be transformed to maximise community wellbeing.This is the second of three reports produced by an independent Panel exploring how local government can enable communities to thrive, both now and into the future. Continue →

The Atlas for Cities is a free online community which provides a space for local government leaders to view case studies from around the world, see what trends are out there and to source solutions echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0); The Atlas has a sole vision to make cities smarter, safer and more sustainable. Continue →

A $2.3m Pandemic Response Plan aims to help Wellington businesses struggling under Covid restrictions and ongoing protests – should other councils follow suit? Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);A 13.5% rates increase has been decided by Wellington City councillors, who met last week to decide the funding options for its Long-Term Plan 2021-2031 The plan addresses water infrastructure, supports a vibrant economy, invests in greater iwi representation, enhances city safety and makes civic buildings more resilient. Continue →

echo adrotate_group(33, 0, 0, 0);Councils provide critical infrastructure services across New Zealand, including the planning, funding, delivery and regulation of billions of dollars of assets, but this 30 year old system is simply not geared for today’s challenges The traditional roles and functions of local government are in the process of changing. Continue →

Councils hit hard by COVID-19, who oversee half this country’s public infrastructure, require financial support from central government, says Paul Blair CEO of Infrastructure New Zealand Rates, which some councils are already choosing to freeze or cut, only provide 60% of council revenues, on average. Continue →

Important policy and legislative developments have landed today which could enable a bolder, more streamlined way of delivering new infrastructure for the benefit all New Zealanders, says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Paul Blair New government announcements and a Productivity Commission report this week are reiterating that New Zealand needs new ways of working together, brought together by a coherent vision, to dramatically change outcomes for the better. Continue →

By strengthening regional capability and incentivising local, regional and central government institutions to collaborate, we can tackle complex issues and improve outcomes for all New Zealanders, says outgoing Infrastructure NZ CEO Stephen Selwood   Devolving transport, housing and other regionally specific services to an empowered and capable regional government would improve national outcomes by strengthening delivery and incentivising all of government to work towards shared objectives. Continue →

While the Productivity Commission’s draft report on Local Government Funding and Financing provides some useful recommendations to improve the current system, the report falls short of advancing the level of change need to lift New Zealand’s productivity, says Stephen Selwood Chief Executive of Infrastructure New Zealand It is pleasing that the Commission has reinforced earlier findings which emphasise the importance of beneficiaries contributing a greater share of local government costs and of the urgent need for three waters services reform. Continue →

Long overdue reform of the water sector has created the opportunity for a first principles discussion of what local government can and should do and with what resources, says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Stephen Selwood “Operating infrastructure networks is a technical activity demanding flexible use of capital and strong asset management capability,” he explains. Continue →

The Productivity Commission’s inquiry into local government funding and financing is welcome, but it is concerning to see the Terms of Reference will constrain an objective assessment of all options, says Infrastructure New Zealand CEO Stephen Selwood It is particularly disappointing that ‘asset recycling’ – the process of selling down public shareholding in one public asset in order to invest in another more valuable asset – has been precluded from the terms of reference, he adds. Continue →