Waikato mayors tell govt to chip in if it wants reform

Tuesday, 5 May 2026

Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe says the work to reform local government has already started, but short time frames and the costs involved were an issue.

The Government is giving the Waikato’s 11 councils three months to amalgamate their organisations - or it will do it for them.

However, mayors and chairs in the Waikato say the largest reform of local government in 40 years will cost ratepayers even more money to implement in a short time frame, and are calling on the Government to fund its own initiative.

Resource Management Act (RMA) Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop, and Local Government Minister Simon Watts said the writing was also on the wall for regional councils - which will likely be disbanded, and amalgamated into the new-look structure.

The Waikato Regional Council will be disbanded under the government’s reform proposals. Chairperson Warren Maher said the council would still be providing input.

The ministers announced their plans for a complete overhaul of the local government sector on Tuesday, and told councils to “put forward proposals to simplify and strengthen local government in their regions”.

“New Zealand’s local government system is too complex, too costly, and too hard to navigate,” Bishop said.

“We currently have 78 city and district, regional, and unitary councils across the country – a high number for a country of our size.”

Resource Management Act Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop says councils will amalgamate, or the government will do it for them.

He said that system is too often “tangled in duplication, disagreements, and decisions that defy common sense” and has added local government reform to councils’ to-do lists at the same time as they work on RMA reform.

“These reforms are tightly linked. Fixing the planning system while leaving local government untouched would just lock in the same problems,” Bishop said.

The proposal would “remove elected regional councillors”, and require councils to work together on region-wide plans to “simplify structures, cut duplication, and deliver services more efficiently”.

“Several mayors have told us they’re ready to move now, with clear ideas about what should change and how to do it … we’re giving them the opportunity to get on with it through a ‘head start’ pathway.

“If councils don’t step up and put forward credible proposals, the Government will step in and make those decisions,” he said.

Watts said the “Head Start pathway” will enable councils to pitch their own reorganisation ideas, but said these “should focus on creating larger, more efficient unitary authorities”.

“They must show clear support, strong leadership, and real benefits for communities.”

Watts said officials will assess proposals later this year before Cabinet made the final decison, and would be in place for the 2028 local government elections.

For councils that don’t engage in the Head Start approach, Watts said the Government would “ensure reform still happens across the country”.

Proposals must come from two or more territorial authorities (city or district councils) but regional councils have been excluded from submitting proposals.

Mayors and chairs in the Waikato have already requested reform funding through the Waikato Mayoral Forum but are yet to receive a response.

Hamilton mayor Tim Macindoe said formal discussions on whether the Waikato wanted to take up the ‘head start’ option will begin at the next Waikato Mayoral Forum on May 25.

“That’s an important strategic choice, and one we should approach together.

“Resourcing will be a key part of that conversation, and we have recently asked the Government what funding they will be providing.”

Macindoe said the timeframe was short, but “from a Hamilton perspective, we are open to moving at speed to ensure we are aligned and prepared for what comes next.

“This is a significant change for the local government sector, and we must make sure we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.

“Whatever model emerges, we need to retain the critical functions that regional councils currently provide, such as flood management, catchment planning, climate‑change responsibilities, and our legislative obligations to iwi.”

Waikato Regional Council chairperson Warren Maher said “at least we have the certainty that we're there until the 2028 elections”.

With implementation due by late 2028, Maher said there was time to manage the process, “to do the job properly, and do it right”.

Matamata-Piako mayor Ash Tanner says councils should not be made to pay for central government-imposed reforms.

“We did … send a request for some government funding for this process, that hasn't been answered … there's a hurdle to be jumped there.

“You've got to carry on business as usual with your budgets, keeping an eye on rate capping, and all that sort of thing, plus do all this reorganisation work.

“There's definitely going to be a consultant cost in that piece of work … councils have staff capacity limitations to consider as well. ‘

Matamata-Piako mayor Ash Tanner said it felt like the government was forcing councils’ hands.

“We're dealing with all these other reforms, staff are stretched … it's just a little bit unrealistic … we're going to have to get some more consultants in.

“Why should ratepayers be funding it all?”

Waitomo mayor John Robertson said his council had agreed to “actively participate … subject to funding being provided by central Government.”

Robertson has already expressed his preference of putting together a “King Country Council”, starting with Waitomo and Ōtorohanga.

South Waikato mayor Gary Petley said his council had already begun discussions with neighbouring councils on potential reform options.

“We knew if we weren’t at the table from the outset then we’d risk losing control of our own destiny. We are determined to ensure that is not the case,” Petley said.