Latest news with #SamWarren
Scoop
a day ago
- Business
- Scoop
2025 Rates Dashboard Exposes Out Of Control Rates Burden
The Taxpayers' Union has today launched the 2025 New Zealand Rates Dashboard at The Rates Dashboard is for ratepayers to track and compare their council's annual and cumulative rates increases with councils across New Zealand. It shows the average cumulative rates increase over the current three-year council term is an astonishing 34.4 percent – more than two and a half times inflation over the same period. The average for 2025 alone is 8.39 percent. Local Government Campaigns Manager, Sam Warren, said: "The dashboard shows that the average Kiwi household now faces a rates bill more than a third higher than just three years ago. Over the same timeframe, inflation has been just 13.7 percent.' "This year alone, the average rates increase is 7.4 percent - that's still nearly three times the current 2.5 percent inflation rate." "Ratepayers can see how their council compares at 'These numbers represent real pain being felt by ratepayers, including reports of ratepayers being forced out of their homes. They show why UK or Australian-style rates capping is so urgently needed. Councils should be forced to keep rates under the level of inflation unless approved by local referenda.' 'More than 28,000 Kiwis have signed the Cap Rates Now petition and looking at the Rates Dashboard, it's no wonder ratepayers are angry and LGNZ know it's in trouble." NOTES The Taxpayers' Union 2025 Rates Dashboard can be found at The top ten highest cumulative rates increases over the current three-year electoral term are: West Coast Regional Council – 65.57% Greater Wellington Regional Council – 54.67% Taranaki Regional Council – 51.02% Queenstown-Lakes District Council – 50.23% Hastings District Council – 48.76% Central Otago District Council – 47.95% Wellington City Council – 47.03% Upper Hutt City Council – 46.92% Gore District Council – 46.60% Otago Regional Council – 45.76% The top ten highest rates increases for 2025 are: Clutha District Council – 16.59% Upper Hutt City Council – 15.78% Hamilton City Council – 15.50% Waipa District Council – 15.50% Hastings District Council – 15.00% Selwyn District Council – 14.20% Grey District Council – 13.73% Queenstown-Lakes District Council – 13.50% Westland District Council – 13.20% Taranaki Regional Council – 12.90%
RNZ News
a day ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Council rate increases of up to 65% too much, Taxpayers' Union says
Photo: Jo Danilo / Supplied Rates increases at levels double the scale of inflation over the past three years show local bodies' spending needs to be reined in, the Taxpayers' Union says. The lobby group has released its rates dashboard which ranks local bodies across the country on how much they have increased rates. It's been campaigning for the government to bring in a cap on rates increases . Its survery found, on average, rates have increased 34.4 percent in total over the past three years - that's more than two-and-a-half times the rate of inflation during the same period. "Over the last three years West Coast Regional Council had a rates increase of 65 percent. It's absolutely up there and it's driving the cost of living for a lot of people," Taxpayers Union local government campaigns manager Sam Warren said. West Coast Regional Council has been approached for a response. Other noticeable rates increases were seen in Wellington with the capital's city council increasing rates 47 percent while Wellington Regional Council was up 54 percent. Taranaki, Queenstown, Hastings and Central Otago were also among the top 10. "We'd like to see a return to focus on the basics particularly when families are doing it so tough," Warren said. He said while each council had it's own needs and challenges, spending was increasing across councils in various areas. "Employee costs were up 7 or 8 percent and finance costs up 16 percent off the top of my head. "I make a career of finding a lot of council waste, so it's endless obviously, but really I think right now when it's so difficult they need to tighten their belts," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Majority of southern ratepayers hit hard
More than two-thirds of Otago and Southland's councils hiked rates above the national average for 2025, new data shows. Only the Invercargill City Council (7.11%), the Otago Regional Council (5.50%) and the Southland District Council (7.23%) were below the national average rates increase of 8.39% for 2025. Of the 78 councils across New Zealand, less than half (34) were below the national average rates increase, and now the Taxpayers' Union is calling for ratepayers to sign a petition calling for a cap to be put on rates hikes. Taxpayers' Union local government campaigns manager Sam Warren said the union had created a Rates Dashboard so ratepayers could track and compare their council's annual rates increases with councils across New Zealand. It also showed the average cumulative rates increase over the present three-year council term, which was an ''astonishing'' 34.4% — more than two and a-half times inflation over the same period. ''The dashboard shows that the average Kiwi household now faces a rates bill more than a-third higher than just three years ago. ''These numbers represent real pain being felt by ratepayers, including reports of ratepayers being forced out of their homes. ''They show why United Kingdom or Australian-style rates capping is so urgently needed. ''Councils should be forced to keep rates under the level of inflation unless approved by local referenda.'' He said more than 28,000 New Zealanders had signed the Cap Rates Now petition. However, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said Dunedin's 10.70% rates increase this year was necessary, because the city had underinvested in infrastructure over the past two decades. ''Our rates are a bit higher than the national average because we've got more ground to make up with water in particular. ''We are embarking on a programme to bring our water services and infrastructure up to standard. ''We're an older city and we're suffering from a lack of expenditure on pipes and plumbing and the water infrastructure over the last 20 years in particular. ''So we're having to make up that ground, but also we're looking to try to balance the increasing levels of debt of council with rates, and we're looking to maintain the water infrastructure within council ownership.'' He said feedback from residents in the nine-year plan consultation, showed there was ''a definite preference'' for the Dunedin City Council to retain control of its own water infrastructure. ''So what that means is, it will cost us a little bit more in the short term to fund that infrastructure, but in the longer term, we'll save a considerable amount of money over the course of the nine-year plan. ''I think it's $158million that we save by funding the water infrastructure upgrades and renewals ourselves, as opposed to forming a council-controlled organisation.'' He said many councils further north were banding together and forming council-controlled organisations, and as a result, they were loading all of the infrastructure upgrades on to debt. ''And in some cases, that debt is heading towards a maximum of about 500% of revenue. We are well under that. ''Even though some people complain about the level of council debt, we are at a realistic level,'' he said. 2025 rates rises % rise 3-year cumulative rise* Central Otago District Council 12.47% 47.95% Clutha District Council 16.59% 39.85% Dunedin City Council 10.70% 38.53% Environment Southland 8.80% 37.13% Gore District Council 8.82% 46.60% Invercargill City Council 7.11% 24.28% Otago Regional Council 5.50% 45.76% Queenstown Lakes District Council 13.50% 50.23% Southland District Council 7.23% 31.15% Waitaki District Council 9.79% 34.79% *(as of July 10, 2025) Top 10 rates rises in 2025 Clutha District Council - 16.59% Upper Hutt City Council - 15.78% Hamilton City Council - 15.50% Waipa District Council - 15.50% Hastings District Council - 15.00% Selwyn District Council - 14.20% Grey District Council - 13.73% Queenstown Lakes District Council - 13.50% Westland District Council - 13.20% Taranaki Regional Council - 12.90%
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
Majority of southern ratepayers hit hard: Many rates rises above national average increase
More than two-thirds of Otago and Southland's councils hiked rates above the national average for 2025, new data shows. Only the Invercargill City Council (7.11%), the Otago Regional Council (5.50%) and the Southland District Council (7.23%) were below the national average rates increase of 8.39% for 2025. Of the 78 councils across New Zealand, less than half (34) were below the national average rates increase, and now the Taxpayers' Union is calling for ratepayers to sign a petition calling for a cap to be put on rates hikes. Taxpayers' Union local government campaigns manager Sam Warren said the union had created a Rates Dashboard so ratepayers could track and compare their council's annual rates increases with councils across New Zealand. It also showed the average cumulative rates increase over the present three-year council term, which was an ''astonishing'' 34.4% — more than two and a-half times inflation over the same period. ''The dashboard shows that the average Kiwi household now faces a rates bill more than a-third higher than just three years ago. ''These numbers represent real pain being felt by ratepayers, including reports of ratepayers being forced out of their homes. ''They show why United Kingdom or Australian-style rates capping is so urgently needed. ''Councils should be forced to keep rates under the level of inflation unless approved by local referenda.'' He said more than 28,000 New Zealanders had signed the Cap Rates Now petition. However, Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich said Dunedin's 10.70% rates increase this year was necessary, because the city had underinvested in infrastructure over the past two decades. ''Our rates are a bit higher than the national average because we've got more ground to make up with water in particular. ''We are embarking on a programme to bring our water services and infrastructure up to standard. ''We're an older city and we're suffering from a lack of expenditure on pipes and plumbing and the water infrastructure over the last 20 years in particular. ''So we're having to make up that ground, but also we're looking to try to balance the increasing levels of debt of council with rates, and we're looking to maintain the water infrastructure within council ownership.'' He said feedback from residents in the nine-year plan consultation, showed there was ''a definite preference'' for the Dunedin City Council to retain control of its own water infrastructure. ''So what that means is, it will cost us a little bit more in the short term to fund that infrastructure, but in the longer term, we'll save a considerable amount of money over the course of the nine-year plan. ''I think it's $158million that we save by funding the water infrastructure upgrades and renewals ourselves, as opposed to forming a council-controlled organisation.'' He said many councils further north were banding together and forming council-controlled organisations, and as a result, they were loading all of the infrastructure upgrades on to debt. ''And in some cases, that debt is heading towards a maximum of about 500% of revenue. We are well under that. ''Even though some people complain about the level of council debt, we are at a realistic level,'' he said. 2025 rates rises % rise 3-year cumulative rise* Central Otago District Council 12.47% 47.95% Clutha District Council 16.59% 39.85% Dunedin City Council 10.70% 38.53% Environment Southland 8.80% 37.13% Gore District Council 8.82% 46.60% Invercargill City Council 7.11% 24.28% Otago Regional Council 5.50% 45.76% Queenstown Lakes District Council 13.50% 50.23% Southland District Council 7.23% 31.15% Waitaki District Council 9.79% 34.79% *(as of July 10, 2025) Top 10 rates rises in 2025 Clutha District Council - 16.59% Upper Hutt City Council - 15.78% Hamilton City Council - 15.50% Waipa District Council - 15.50% Hastings District Council - 15.00% Selwyn District Council - 14.20% Grey District Council - 13.73% Queenstown Lakes District Council - 13.50% Westland District Council - 13.20% Taranaki Regional Council - 12.90%
Scoop
03-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Revealed: Auckland Transport Paid Social Media Influencers More Than $147,000 In 12 Months
The Auckland Ratepayers Alliance has slammed Auckland Transport for paying social media influencers $147,765 between May 2024 and May 2025. All campaigns were centred on dissuading Aucklanders from using their own cars as a transport option. 'Auckland Transport really does everything but actually getting our roads moving—it's ridiculous. They don't need a marketing and comms department, they need to pull their heads in.' said Sam Warren, an Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman. 'You're a transport provider; provide transport. That's it.' 'While Auckland Transport will not confirm how much each influencer was paint , we can average the total between the 10 of them. That's nearly $15,000 per influencer, paid for by Auckland ratepayers.' 'This obsession with engineering the public's behaviour is as silly as it is expensive. They answer is to focus on the basics well, provide excellent service and let Aucklanders choose what's best for them.' 'Mayor Wayne Brown this week began his much anticipated CCO reform, starting with the dissolution of Eke Panuku and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited. Next in line is Auckland Transport, who is as guilty as the others for wasting ratepayer money on ideological twaddle that Aucklanders don't need or want.'
