Good Intentions, Real Risks - LGNZ Remit Raises Tough Questions About Local Voice, Accountability

Tuesday, 15 July 2025, 8:56 am
Press Release: Lobby for Good

Tauranga, NZ – As Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) prepares to vote on a remit proposing a structural review of councils, watchdog group Lobby for Good says it’s time for some straight talk. While Mayor Mahé Drysdale is asking important questions about improving local government, the proposed path forward raises serious concerns about transparency, representation, and the ability for everyday people to be heard.

“We agree with Mayor Drysdale on this much, the way local government works right now isn’t good enough. But if this review results in fewer councils, fewer watchdogs, and more power handed to centralised entities, we need to ask, who really benefits from this?” says Erika Harvey, Director of Public Affairs at Lobby for Good.

A Pattern We’ve Seen Before

The remit talks about reducing duplication and saving money, but in practice, we’ve seen how that language can be misused. In Tauranga, so-called “efficiencies” led to a $13 million land sale behind closed doors, followed by up to $29 million ratepayer-funded upgrade, with no public tender and no genuine consultation. That’s not reform. That’s rigged process.

The Questions That Still Need Answering

“This remit could be a moment for real change,” says Harvey. “But before we back it, the public deserves clarity on a few things:”

• Will these changes make it easier or harder for people to be heard?
• What safeguards will prevent further concentration of power and loss of local representation?
• If these changes cost more, as we’ve seen in other council overhauls, who’s accountable?
• How will the public be involved in shaping the terms of this review, not just reacting to its outcomes?

Reform Without the Public Isn’t Reform

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Lobby for Good is urging LGNZ delegates to press pause and demand answers. The remit may be well-intentioned, but the risk is clear. That it becomes another mechanism to shut the public out, fast-track asset sales, and centralise decision-making under the banner of efficiency.

“Mayor Drysdale says we need to stop talking and start acting,” says Harvey. “We agree, but we need to act for the right reasons, and with the public, not around them.”

Call to Action

Lobby for Good is calling on LGNZ members to:

• Reject the remit in its current form.
• Insist on a public-first framework for any future review.
• Commit to strengthening — not weakening — public consultation and local representation.

“Real reform starts with trust. And trust is built through transparency, not another closed-door process,” says Harvey

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