We are officially launching our "Cap Rates Now!" campaign, to rein in New Zealand's out-of-control councils.

We're using this week's National Fieldays to call on Local Government Minister Simon Watts to introduce Australian and UK-style rates caps to limit annual rate increases to inflation.

We're demanding a rates cap - now! We need your support – sign the petition ✍️

Across the country, the story is the same: double-digit rate hikes, councils are driving up the costs of living.

Meanwhile, ballooning staff numbers and vanity project spending see councils delivering fewer core services.

Local Government New Zealand (the lobbyists for council bureaucrats) are in Simon Watts' ear. They want to keep councils unrestrained.

I need you to take 20 seconds today to sign the petition.

With Auckland’s new property values out yesterday, many homeowners are about to be slapped with massive rate hikes. Napier ratepayers are facing a hike of 20 percent, along with Gore, Upper Hutt, Hastings... The list goes on and on. 

It’s time to put a lid on it: Cap Rates Now!

Rates cap legislation would limit annual rates increases to inflation – unless a council can get approval from local ratepayers through a local referendum.

💥 Since 2022, average council rates have gone up 34% in New Zealand, compared to 14% in the UK and just 8% in Australia.

💥 A majority of Kiwis want the choice – polling shows that nearly two-thirds support referenda for big rate hikes.

💥 Meanwhile, council spending keeps ballooning – but not on core infrastructure. Our research shows that the money is going on bloated bureaucracies (staff costs) and non-core (i.e. vanity) projects.

If you agree, enough is enough, sign the Rates Cap Now petition at RatesCapNow.nz

Under our proposal, councils can still fund important projects – they’ll just have to justify the cost and get community backing. It’s about accountability, transparency, and putting ratepayers first.

The campaign is about protecting households, restoring trust in local government, and stopping councils from treating ratepayers like bottomless wallets.

If councils really need to spend more, they can just ask. That’s democracy.

But without a cap, nothing will change. The bills will keep piling up.

So let's build up the pressure . Let’s Cap Rates Now!

The Taxpayers' Union is launching a new nationwide campaign calling for Local Government Minister Simon Watts to 'Cap Rates Now' and adopt CPI-level limitations on councils hiking rates. The launch of the Cap Rates Now campaign coincides with the opening of National Fieldays and the release of Auckland Council's new property valuations.

We're calling on ratepayers across New Zealand to join us in asking Mr Watts to Cap Rates Now by signing the petition at CapRatesNow.nz.

"Council rates are out of control. Until they are capped, councils have little incentive to focus on core services and providing good quality infrastructure," said Taxpayers' Union Local Government Campaign Manager Sam Warren.

A March 2024 Taxpayers' Union-Curia poll found that nearly two-thirds of New Zealanders supported referendums for rates increases beyond inflation. and less than one quarter opposed. There was majority support for referendums in all gender and age groups.

"For years, skyrocketing rates have been a major driver of inflation and the cost of living crisis. Rates have increased 34 percent in New Zealand since 2022, compared to only 14 percent in the UK and 8 percent in Australia. Enough is enough."

"Rates caps are common in Australia and the United Kingdom, and last year even Prime Minister Luxon appeared to be fan," said Warren.

"Behind the scenes, we know that council officials, and their lobby group, LGNZ, have been trying to strong arm Simon Watts and lobby against this common-sense policy. Local Mayors try to claim local government is underfunded, but when you look at the numbers, the dramatic increases in rates revenue have been wasted on nice-to-haves and staff costs, rather than core capital infrastructure investment," said Warren.

"That's why we're calling on ratepayers to join us in our call to Cap Rates Now."

"In special circumstances with a good reason to increase rates over-and-above inflation, councils should seek the public mandate via referenda. That is the sensible compromise for LGNZ, who have been spending ratepayer money to lobby against rates capping."