Local Government Running NZ?

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tdgeek

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#251700 7-Jul-2019 18:14

Saw this on the news tonight. I have no stance, but it seems a slightly bizarre way to go. I can go to a pub in Tauranga at age 18, but not in the next town? One example.

Im in favour of local Govt but this seems like a +1 to fragmentation.

GV27

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#2271591 8-Jul-2019 09:09

Not sure why need disjointed fifedoms with more and more ways of taxing people, with the only tangible result being more public sector roles and consultation schemes.

Check out the actual list of remits here:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1907/S00091/local-government-debates-remits-at-agm.htm?utm_source=The+Bulletin&utm_campaign=c123c0b852-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_03_01_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_552336e15a-c123c0b852-533756713

Part of me wonders whether we are importing a public sector culture from other countries that perhaps don't have the most effective or neutral public sector organisations.

tdgeek

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#2271595 8-Jul-2019 09:19

Yes, its bizarre. Moe chiefs to pay for services that are non standard elsewhere. I would favour central Govt running many local affairs. Get some common standards and national goals, let the locals manage day to day things and be the voice on the ground

tdgeek

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#2271596 8-Jul-2019 09:20

Or, set up a national City Council, so to reduce partisanship

GV27

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#2271600 8-Jul-2019 09:26

tdgeek:

Or, set up a national City Council, so to reduce partisanship

Take a look at how many of those remits are about efficiency, streamlining or cost-reduction (I counted one).

The rest are all an attempt to copy the English way of having Councils that run almost everything that goes on in an area, and fulfill a desire by some to have layer of Govt upon layer of Govt. I'm no Reaganite but we are a small country. There's simply no need for this in a country that barely has more people than the City of Melbourne.

Next time you hear a public sector chairman or public relations advisor on the radio, take a note of their accent. I do not think these things are unrelated.

gzt

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#2271911 8-Jul-2019 15:51

GV27:
Not sure why need disjointed fifedoms with more and more ways of taxing people, with the only tangible result being more public sector roles and consultation schemes.

I don't see much on that list in that category, except maybe one item: they want govt to require accommodation providers to register with local authorities. That seems unlikely. Presumably they want it to levy a bed tax or similar. I thought some districts were doing that already.

wsnz

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#2271950 8-Jul-2019 17:28

Speaking with a colleague who works for a council, there was also some discussion at the LGNZ AGM regarding putting pressure on the government to allow local councils to levy a land tax in addition to rates. Some believe this should target commercial and industrial properties, while others believe it should target all zone types.

I'm not sure if that was voted on and omitted from the article, or whether it was merely a hot discussion topic.

GV27

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#2274786 11-Jul-2019 19:14

wsnz:

Speaking with a colleague who works for a council, there was also some discussion at the LGNZ AGM regarding putting pressure on the government to allow local councils to levy a land tax in addition to rates. Some believe this should target commercial and industrial properties, while others believe it should target all zone types.

I'm not sure if that was voted on and omitted from the article, or whether it was merely a hot discussion topic.

Behold, the endless pit of money that local government believe they have at their disposal.

Unfortunately, those of us who are stuck paying for these things are not so lucky.

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tdgeek

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#2274973 12-Jul-2019 07:24

GV27:

wsnz:

Speaking with a colleague who works for a council, there was also some discussion at the LGNZ AGM regarding putting pressure on the government to allow local councils to levy a land tax in addition to rates. Some believe this should target commercial and industrial properties, while others believe it should target all zone types.

I'm not sure if that was voted on and omitted from the article, or whether it was merely a hot discussion topic.

Behold, the endless pit of money that local government believe they have at their disposal.

Unfortunately, those of us who are stuck paying for these things are not so lucky.

Yes, "works for a council" says it all. Id prefer one council such as the central one we have than 40 of them deciding our climate change path