John Carter MP National Party Local Government Spokesman

27 July 2006

Local Government rises to National Party challenge

National Party Local Government spokesman John Carter is heaping praise on Local Government New Zealand for "rising to the National Party challenge for them to quantify Labour Government buck-passing".

Mr Carter is commenting in the wake of news today that LGNZ plans to hire independent auditors to estimate the costs of the 67 laws passed by Labour which have had a direct or indirect impact on rates.

"Ratepayers have had an absolute gutful of the creeping compliance costs forced on them.

"Wanganui Mayor Michael Laws has estimated it costs his council a minimum of $50,000 every time the Government changes policy. Wellington's Kerry Prendergast has put a multi-million dollar price tag on costs passed down to ratepayers by Labour."

Mr Carter says before the debate can move on to rating methods, the public need to be included in a debate about what work councils should be engaged in.

"There is considerable unease throughout the country about some of the spending decisions being made by local authorities. What do we now consider to be core council business, and how many extras should ratepayers be funding?"

ENDS

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