Submissions

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Ministerial Inquiry into land uses associated with the mobilisation of woody debris (including forestry slash) and sediment in Tairāwhiti/Gisborne and Wairoa Districts.  LGNZ and the Joint Forestry Project support this Inquiry.

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) welcomes the opportunity to submit on the Severe Weather Emergency Recovery Legislation Bill. Communities turn to their councils when disaster hits, and councils step up to significant leadership roles for their regions and communities, during both response and recovery.

We’re supportive of the Proposals for the Smoked Tobacco Regulatory Regime. Our submission calls for these proposals to go further to keep both smoked tobacco and vaping retail locations away from schools and other sites where they may increase access to young people.  

We want to see the Panel move beyond the status quo to provide much bolder recommendations about local government’s future role, the services councils could deliver, how they should be funded, and a clear roadmap on how to get there.  

The Environment Committee is currently considering the Natural and Bill Environment Bill and the Spatial Planning Bill. Our submission highlights our concerns with this legislation and how it needs to be improved.

The Finance and Expenditure Select Committee is currently considering the Water Services Legislation Bill and the Water Services Economic Efficiency and Consumer Protection Bill. Our submission highlights our concerns with this legislation and how it needs to be improved.

Local Government is a critical layer of our democratic landscape. It is crucial that local government elections are recognised and supported, so that councils reflect and are relevant to the communities they serve. Local government elections are equally important as parliamentary elections.

This Bill will not only support councils and communities to address the negative impacts that unsafe and irresponsible consumption of alcohol has on community well-being but will better enable citizens to participate in local decision-making.

LGNZ supports the Bill’s intention to create a statutory framework that makes better natural hazard information, including information about the impacts of climate change, available through Land Information Memorandums (LIMs).   However, we suggest improvements in several areas, which are each discussed in our submission.

Our submission’s focus is on encouraging Waka Kotahi to work closely with councils to involve local communities in the decision-making process around any speed change proposals.