The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union submitted feedback to the Local Government Commission on the Draft Standardised Code of Conduct, raising concerns that the proposal risks undermining accountability and effective governance in local councils. While intended to improve behaviour standards, we argued the current draft overreaches and could restrict the ability of elected representatives to do their jobs.
In our submission, we called for the removal of unnecessary Treaty references and vague “respect” provisions that could be used to suppress legitimate debate. We also pushed for fairer investigation processes with clear separation of roles, stronger rights for councillors to access information, and protections for freedom of expression so elected members can challenge advice and hold officials accountable.
Unclear rules and restricted speech risk creating conflict, weakening oversight, and reducing transparency in local government. Without proper safeguards, councillors could be left unable to scrutinise decisions effectively, undermining both democratic accountability and public trust.
