1% is a very low bar. Case studies suggest reviews typically achieve spending reductions of between 2% and 5%, which points to savings of between $3m and $8m for the WDC, not $1 million. The review itself is expected to cost up to $100,000 in consultancy fees, which is ridiculous when LETTERBOX is aware that some well-qualified locals would donate their time as a community service.
• A 22.6% increase in water rates,
• A general rate increase by between 5% and 10.1%, depending on which of the three options they choose, • A 2.6% increase in wastewater charges, and
• Increasing the stormwater rate (which they introduced last year) from $45 to $124 a year.
The 22.6% water rate increase is in stark contrast to a statement made in the 2025-26 Annual Plan, where it said an increase of 5.7% would provide enough funding for good management as well as increasing capacity for growth. What’s changed? Mayor Couper needs to explain. Is it because of Northland Water Done Well?
Documents obtained by LETTERBOX under the Official Information Act detail the events leading up to the landing, the action taken by Department of Conservation (DOC) staff to reduce biosecurity risks, and the reason why the occupiers were not prosecuted, despite one report stating there were “many offences committed by persons affiliated with Ngatiwai.”
The general election will be held
on Saturday, the 7th of November. While the election is a
competition between parties, voters are more likely to see it as a choice
between coalitions. Votes will go into the election with two questions in mind:
Who do we want to run the country: Labour/Greens/Maori Party or National/ACT/NZ
First? The second question will be to
ask which of the three coalition partners they want to have the most influence? 
Photo credit: Elections.org.nz
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| Photo credit: STUFF |
The outage occurred after a transmission tower north of Auckland collapsed during routine maintenance when contractors removed the nuts from at least two tower legs at the same time, a practice outside standard procedures.
She earlier pleaded guilty to two
charges of common assault under the Summary Offences Act, for which maximum
penalties are six months imprisonment and/or a $4,000 fine.
Paniora argued a conviction would
have disproportionate consequences, including damage to her career and
political prospects.
When discharging Paniora, Judge Greg Davis is reported to have said she “had effectively been judged both in court and the court of public opinion, and there was no purpose to be served by entering convictions…Is the world a better place by convicting her?”
This is a significant turnaround from the double-digit rate increases in recent years, which have produced annual cash operating surpluses in recent years of between $7 million and $8 million
Under the plan, all 11 regional councils across New Zealand
would be abolished, with their responsibilities handed to new Combined
Territories Boards (CTBs) made up of city and district mayors, and
commissioners appointed by central government.
The CTBs will have two years to come up with a “regional
reorganisation plan”. Local Government Minister, Simon Watts, said that the plan
could include “shared services, council-owned companies, reallocating functions
or merging territorial authorities to form new unitary councils”.
The reorganisation plans are subject to the approval of the Minister of Local Government.
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| Photo credit: NZ Herald |
The RMA is now so broken that it
is being consigned to the rubbish bin and replaced with two new pieces of
legislation: the Planning Act and the Natural Environment Act. These Bills are
currently working their way through Parliament and are before a select
committee that will hear public submissions.
The Natural Environment Act sets out the environmental rules and consenting framework. It defines how consents will be assessed, what standards must be met, and how councils make decisions. The legislation is intended to be simpler, faster, and more predictable than the RMA.