In November 2020 the Gisborne District Council voted in favour of including Māori wards, this, in turn, prompted a representation review. The review began in May this year with the council engaging with us on what fair representation looks like by conducting a pre-engagement survey, this resulted in the Council producing an initial proposal for […]
rates
Economic Week – September 10
Commodity prices slip. The ANZ Commodity Price Index was down again in August but it’s still well ahead of the same time last year and remains near its record high set in June. The World Price Index was down 1.6% in August compared to July, following a 1.7% decline over the previous month. The Index […]
Southland Feds president has his say on rates rise
President – Southland Federated Farmers Do you support Environment Southland’s decision to permanently increase rates by 20%? Due to lack of feedback, councillors believe you do. On Friday 30th July they’re meeting to ratify this decision, so if you don’t support it, this is your last chance to let them know. This rates rise […]
Fighting for the rural ratepayer
By Nigel Billings and Nick Clark Winter is upon us and Federated Farmers is in the thick of it fighting for hard-working farmers against the rates hordes. It’s a hard battle but one worth fighting. We’re staring down the barrel at a swarm of huge rates rises which will add thousands to many farmers’ rates […]
Rural rates – going up faster than ciggies and booze
New Zealand’s 78 district, city, and regional councils have started consultations on Long Term Plans setting out proposed rates increases for the coming year and beyond. Expect cries of pain, says Federated Farmers manager of general policy, Nick Clark. “The high cost of council rates on farmland has always been a problem and it is […]
Gisborne Wairoa rates showdown
By Toby Williams President, Gisborne Wairoa Federated Farmers It’s frustrating and very disappointing that Federated Farmers’ submissions on Gisborne District Council and Wairoa District Council rates issues have largely fallen on deaf ears. We certainly highlighted the unfairness and inconsistency of some of their proposals, both in comprehensive written submissions and in person when I […]
Wairoa rates review misses the mark
By Rhea Dasent, senior policy advisor for Federated Farmers Federated Farmers has a long history of submitting on Wairoa rates, so our ears pricked up when we saw the current Wairoa Rates Review. We were especially interested to read in the Council’s own words “This proposal would simplify the rating system and transfer rates from […]
Reviewing the year we’d all rather forget
Kim Reilly, Federated Farmers South Island Regional Policy Manager Queen Elizabeth II once described 1992 as an “annus horribilis” – a horrible year. Moving forward 28 years, I’m not even sure there is a sufficient (publishable) term to sum up 2020. Let’s just say, it was a bloody shocker. Covid19 created the perfect storm for […]
Hold on to your wallet – bumpy council rates ride ahead
By Nigel Billings, Federated Farmers Senior Policy Advisory With local authorities due to roll out their Long-Term financial Plans in early 2021, a hard road beckons for rural ratepayers. This isn’t just a Covid-19 thing. Some councils, particularly in tourism centres, took big hits on their revenue in 2020 but new demands on council coffers […]