Councils
The Week in Detail: From Posie Parker to processed foods
The Detail podcast brings you the issues behind the news every weekday. Here's what we covered this week. Audio
The Week in Detail: From Posie Parker to processed foods
The Detail podcast brings you the issues behind the news every weekday. Here's what we covered this week.
AudioWhat role does our garden play in biodiversity?
University of Otago urban ecologist Professor Yolanda van Heezik recently led a research team focused on the role private gardens can play in contributing to biodiversity. Professor van Heezik is with… Audio
Whangārei councillors reject govt's proposed water reforms
Whangarei District councillors have rejected the government's three waters reforms after a heated debate today.
The government has so far put $760 million aside for the overhaul, that will take… Audio
Ōpiki, Tokomaru - two towns no council seems to want
Opiki and Tokomaru residents in the Manawatu want to break away from their current council, which they say has neglected them for years, and forge a new future with Palmerston North.
They feel more… Video, Audio
Unkindness towards elected officials at all time high
A long time Auckland councillor has written about how in her 27 career she's never seen as much unkindness towards elected officials as she sees now. Fellow councillor, Josephine Bartley talks about… Audio
What makes us love our neighbourhood?
A study out of Michigan State University set out to quantify what makes people happy with their neighbourhoods, and concluded that it has almost nothing to do with the neighbourhood itself. Study… Audio
Councils feel the strain of the Covid 19 lockdown
Councils throughout New Zealand face huge pressures as they try to provide essential services during Covid 19 lockdown. President of Local Government New Zealand Dave Cull explains Audio
Calls for transparency by council hopefuls around the country
Max Rashbrooke wants council candidates to be more open about who they are amid concerns there are some unsuitable to be on local bodies. Audio
Bed tax, and more, needed
Local councils need help to deal with the increasing tourism, the productivity commission says. It delivered a long list of recommendations in a draft of its review of the finances of local councils.
…Three minutes max: Raf Manji
Three Minutes Max: short, sharp opinions from commentators around New Zealand. Christchruch City Councillor Raf Manji's been doing some thinking about how to measure and implement well-being for… Audio
Councils can’t tackle climate change alone – LGNZ
A new report from Local Government New Zealand shows $8b of council-owned assets would be at risk with a sea level rise of one and a half metres, and insurers are warning that's just the start. Audio
Water safety call ahead of regulation review
Local councils are calling for the government to make sure drinking water is safe before pushing on with regulation for the wider sector.
Auckland churches slapped with rates rises up to 7000%
Auckland Council's head of rates Debbie Acott explains how new rates for churches were calculated. Video, Audio
Church’s rates bill rises from $218 to $11,500
Churches in Auckland are begging their mayor and councillors to be their saviour or else they say their recent biblical rates rises could force them to close. Video, Audio
'Jumping through hoops' pushing up building costs
A group of fire engineers say illegal demands from councils are pushing their design fees up by thousands of dollars without improving safety. They have now obtained a legal opinion that says councils… Audio
Recycling may be dumped as Chinese ban looms
Councils could be forced to dump recycling into landfills when it can no longer be sent to China. From next year, China will stop taking certain waste products, saying contaminants mixed in with the… Audio
Councils vote in favour of getting more powers to control cats
The country's councils are calling on the Government to give them extra powers to protect wildlife from cats including microchipping, de-sexing and registration. Audio
Review finds local authorities lacking on building checks
A review of local councils finds nearly half are ignoring their legal requirement to check that buildings are safe and to issue infringement notices. The Ministry of Building, Innovation and… Audio
Councils free to sell resource consent, PM says
As Ashburton sells a resource consent to extract up to 45 litres of water per second from the town's aquifers, Prime Minister John Key says the council does not own the water itself. Video, Audio
