Submission on Simplifying Local Government

As the partnership of New Zealand’s 16 regional and unitary authorities, Te Uru Kahika is underpinned by an extensive network of subject-matter experts. Together, we play a vital role in championing best practice, information sharing, and collaboration across regional government.

As integral partners and implementation agents for New Zealand’s resource management system, land transport network, biosecurity system and emergency management systems among others, we also work with central government to deliver better outcomes for local people and the environment.

Te Uru Kahika supports the government’s intent to reform local government in order to clarify accountabilities, improve outcomes and accountability, deliver better value for money, and strengthen long‑term capability. We wish to contribute towards a reform process that ensures that all potential impacts and trade-offs are considered in the government’s final decision so that unintended consequences are minimized.

The theme of our submission is to ensure that future local government upholds the integrated delivery of functions at the appropriate scale, with no unintentional fragmentation of regional functions or the weakening of long-term decision making.

This submission is in response to the Simplifying Local Government - a draft proposal from the NZ Government.