Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is welcoming the appointment of the Hon. Nanaia Mahuta as Minister of Local Government for a second term and is looking forward to continuing a partnership to address the challenges facing New Zealand’s councils and communities.

LGNZ is the peak body representing New Zealand’s 78 local councils, providing a unified voice for the sector and a pathway for continuous improvement through CouncilMARK™.

“LGNZ would like to congratulate the Honourable Minister Mahuta on her reappointment as Minister of Local Government, and also on her new role as Minister of Foreign Affairs.”

“Minister Mahuta has been a strong supporter of councils as they have worked to address some of the biggest challenges New Zealand has faced across three waters, urban development, housing and infrastructure, as well as in exploring new opportunities as they have arisen,” said LGNZ President Stuart Crosby.

“When local government and central government work to our respective strengths, great things happen. We saw that in our response to Covid, where the partnership between local and central government enabled our successful nationwide lockdown.”

“We look forward to working together to enable outcomes that are equally as successful as our Covid response, and to find that sweet spot where top down decision making and resourcing can meet bottom up experience and community direction.”

“There is a whole new generation of local government representatives that are eager to see their communities thrive, and on behalf of them, we look forward to working with Minister Mahuta to empower their work.”

About LGNZ and local government in New Zealand

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is the peak body representing New Zealand's 78 local, regional and unitary authorities. LGNZ advocates for local democracy, develops local government policy, and promotes best practice and excellence in leadership, governance and service delivery. Through its work strengthening sector capability, LGNZ contributes to the economic success and vibrancy of communities and the nation.

The local government sector plays an important role. In addition to giving citizens a say in how their communities are run, councils own a broad range of community assets worth more than $120 billion. These include 90 per cent of New Zealand's road network, the bulk of the country's water and waste water networks, and libraries, recreation and community facilities. Regional and unitary councils play a key role in administering the Resource Management Act and as environmental regulators. Council expenditure is approximately $8.5 billion dollars, representing approximately 4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and 11 per cent of all public expenditure.

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