Commerce Commission best placed to regulate council development levies

Responding to reports that officials are floating an interim regulator for council development levies, despite the regime not coming into force until mid-2028, Taxpayers’ Union spokesperson Tory Relf said the Government should stick with the Commerce Commission from day one.

“There’s no logic in inventing a temporary regulator when there are still two years to get this right. The Government is right to back the Commerce Commission from the outset.”

“Claims from officials that proper oversight would undermine local democracy are bizarre. Ratepayers have suffered years of cost blowouts and weak accountability. Forcing councils to properly justify how they spend other people’s money would strengthen local democracy, not weaken it.”

“The Commerce Commission already regulates complex infrastructure monopolies like electricity lines and gas pipelines. It has the expertise and credibility to design a robust, independent process for setting development levies and to keep councils honest.”

“The Government should rule out any interim regulator and confirm now that the Commerce Commission will be the permanent watchdog. If councils want ratepayers’ trust, they need real scrutiny, not another layer of bureaucratic make-believe.”