The Taxpayers’ Union has criticised Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) after its members voted to campaign against proposed Government legislation to cap council rates.
At LGNZ’s annual general meeting in Christchurch this morning, 82 percent of member councils supported launching a ratepayer-funded campaign opposing the rates cap.
Outside the venue, Taxpayers’ Union executive director Jordan Williams questioned the use of public funds for political advocacy.
“LGNZ are gaslighting ratepayers,” Williams said. “So desperate to defend rates having gone up by more than 34 percent over the last three years – two and a half times the level of inflation – they now plan to spend ratepayer money to fight ratepayers.”
He described the move as a “middle finger” to both ratepayers and the Government, which has signalled a strong interest in tackling cost-of-living pressures through legislation.
Protest organised by the Taxpayers’ Union outside the Christchurch Convention Centre.
Williams also criticised the organisation’s political position, saying, “LGNZ is nothing but a left-wing Labour Party political campaign. Any pretence of political neutrality or moral authority has vanished with this vote.”
The comments follow a wider campaign by the Taxpayers’ Union highlighting significant rates increases across the country. The group has released a 2025 Rates Dashboard, showing average rates have risen 34.4 percent in the past three years.
Among the councils singled out was Selwyn District Council, which recently approved a 14.2 percent rates increase for the 2025–26 year, following a 14.9 percent rise the year before.
Taxpayers’ Union campaigns manager Tory Relf called Selwyn’s increases “fiscal irresponsibility” and said nearly 40 percent in cumulative rises over three years placed unnecessary pressure on households.
Selwyn Mayor Sam Broughton defended the increases, saying they were necessary to meet the demands of a growing district and major infrastructure projects.
A protest was held outside the Christchurch Convention Centre, where Minister for Local Government Simon Watts had been invited to speak.
