National attacks councils’ costly red tape

The National Party will peal back layers of red tape that are making councils too bureaucratic and costly, leader Don Brash told the Local Government NZ annual conference today in releasing his party’s local government policy.

“Rates have gone up 38%, or $760 million, since Labour came to office. This is more than double the rate of inflation.

“This increasing rates burden, on top of the scores of new and increasing taxes of all sorts from central government, is just making things too hard for families and businesses.

“Labour’s new local government, dog control, Treaty, climate change, STV voting system, building, and resource management laws have added hundreds of millions of dollars to New Zealand’s rates bill.

“National will be making major changes to the Local Government, Resource Management, Local Electoral, Land Transport, and Building Acts so we can lower the costs of compliance and consultation.

“We will also be scrapping Labour’s separate Maori seats on councils and making it plain that councils need to consult iwi no more than any other group in the community,” Dr Brash said.

National also announced that local elections would be conducted under First Past the Post.

“National’s approach to local government is about strengthening local democracy and getting better value for money for ratepayers.”

ENDS

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