Summarised by Centrist
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon delivered a blunt speech at the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference, urging local councils to focus on core services and cut wasteful spending.
Luxon’s speech didn’t sit well with the audience.
Luxon announced that Cabinet plans to remove the four wellbeing provisions from the Local Government Act, streamlining council responsibilities to essential services like infrastructure.
He criticised councils for prioritising expensive projects over necessary investments, using Wellington’s $180m convention centre as an example of poor decision-making.
LGNZ President Sam Broughton pushed back, arguing that criticism of local government isn’t productive and advocating for new ways to generate revenue. Luxon also revealed plans to introduce performance benchmarks for councils and explore the idea of capping spending on non-core activities.
The speech has stirred debate, with some viewing Luxon’s message as a necessary reality check, while others see it as overly harsh on local government efforts.
