With new planning laws set to centralise environmental decision-making, ministers are openly debating whether regional councils still serve a purpose, writes Catherine McGregor in today’s extract from The Bulletin.
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Are regional councils’ days numbered?
The future of New Zealand’s 11 regional councils is under intense scrutiny, with senior government figures questioning whether they should exist at all, reports Adam Pearse at the Herald. Leading the charge is regional development minister Shane Jones, who last week asked bluntly: “What is the point of regional government?” He has accused councils of stifling economic growth and claimed they were being co-opted into co-governance arrangements, describing the Waikato regional council as an “iwi back office”.
Prime minister Christopher Luxon didn’t go that far, but said disestablishing regional councils was “something we can explore” as part of the sweeping Resource Management Act (RMA) reforms, which aim to replace the existing legislation with two new laws intended to standardise planning decisions and reduce reliance on complex, locally issued resource consents. With key powers centralised, regional councils risk being sidelined altogether. Local government minister Simon Watts is keeping his cards close to the chest, only saying the future would “look differently than what it is”.
What regional councils do
Regional councils were created in 1989 as part of a sweeping local government overhaul that replaced hundreds of small boards with 86 authorities, including 13 regional councils (now 11). Their purpose was to manage land, water and air resources under the then-new RMA. These days, their responsibilities include environmental monitoring, flood control, biodiversity, biosecurity, public transport and natural hazard planning. They also play a core role in building resilience to climate change, according to Local Government New Zealand. In some parts of the country – including Auckland, Gisborne and Nelson – these duties are handled by unitary authorities, which combine regional and territorial (ie city or district council) responsibilities.
The post-RMA reckoning
In a column on Scoop, former United Future leader Peter Dunne argues the government’s plan to replace the RMA has reignited National’s long-held discomfort with regional councils. After National took office in 1990, it “wound back the powers” the Labour government had assigned to the councils, leaving them “largely toothless”, Dunne says. “For the last 35 years they have therefore remained an awkward anomaly, with little public understanding of their purpose.”
With the RMA now set to be replaced by new laws focused on national standards and streamlined consenting, the government appears to be questioning whether regional governance is still necessary, reports The Post’s Anna Whyte (paywalled). Or, as David Seymour put it, “maybe the next logical question is, do we need that extra layer of government?” If you’re thinking about a new career as a regional councillor, maybe think again, advises Dunne. “With the way things are currently swirling, those considering running for regional councils ought to be watching National’s musings about the future of regional government very carefully.”
Amalgamation enters the frame
While most regional councillors are – unsurprisingly – against the idea of their roles being scrapped outright, many are open to the idea of amalgamation. In a column for The Post (paywalled), Greater Wellington Regional Council chair Daran Ponter suggests regional councils could be “building blocks” for a streamlined system, but argues that we shouldn’t throw the baby out with the bathwater. “Environmental regulation is a part of any modern western democracy and essential to New Zealand trade,” he writes. “If it’s not your regional council doing this work, then it will be a government agency or your local council.”
His call for amalgamation has won support in neighbouring Hutt City Council, which will vote today on whether to include a question on the topic in this year’s election ballot papers. Further south, Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger is also open to combining functions into a unitary authority. But Environment Canterbury chair Craig Pauling tells David Hill at The Press (paywalled) that rushing into amalgamation isn’t the answer. “We agree the current structure and funding is unsustainable, but it is not simple and … just about scrapping regional councils and creating unitary authorities.”
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