“Take Another Good Hard Look At The Local Government Bill” Say Chambers
“We join with other business organizations in urging the Government to take another good hard look at its Local
Government Bill, instead of pushing it through Parliament unchanged prior to Christmas” said Wellington Regional Chamber
of Commerce CEO Philip Lewin this afternoon.
“Chambers have been saying the same things about this Bill ever since the Government’s consultation document was
released in May 2001. We’ve put in submissions, lobbied Ministers and MPs, appeared before the Select Committee, and
generally done our best to spotlight the pitfalls for business”
“Of course the Local Government legislation needs updating – but Chambers nationwide think that the Bill’s new “power of
general competence” sends us in the wrong direction.
“We’ve listened to the justifications for this change, but are still wary that it could turn into a “power of general
incompetence” instead.
“By this we mean that the new legislation is too permissive for local authorities. It will provide them with too much
leeway to use ratepayers money in setting up ill-considered commercial enterprises that could end up competing with our
private sector members.
“Likewise, we’re aghast at the intended removal of local body voting rights for commercial ratepayers who are
non-resident. As we have said before, this is nothing but taxation without representation – the same thing that the
American colonists rebelled against a couple of centuries ago!
“As Chambers of Commerce, we’re in favour of the concept of partnership provided this does not run to crowding out of
businesses by an unnecessarily large local government sector.
“New Zealand will never sustain a 4% annual growth performance if public spending grows at a similar rate. So once
again, we urge Government to listen carefully and moderate the Bill accordingly” concluded Mr Lewin.