‘Councils shouldn’t fund activists’ – Rotorua ratepayers on the hook for $93,458 LGNZ membership

Rotorua Lakes Council has voted to retain its membership with Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) through to 2025/26—while some Councillors raised concerns over political bias within the organisation, and its $93,458 price tag paid for by ratepayers.

“Councils are waking up to the fact that LGNZ has become captured by ideologues and activists” said Sam Warren, Local Government Campaigns Manager for the Taxpayers’ Union.

“More Councils are pulling out of their pricey memberships–and it’s real shame Rotorua Council didn’t do the same, at least this time.”

“No two ways about it—LGNZ is a politically captured lobby group, paid millions of ratepayers dollars to push an agenda that is increasingly at odds with the public’s own wishes.”

“Once pretending to be champions of localism—LGNZ showed their true colours the day they got into bed with Labour and its radical Three Waters agenda. Ratepayers shouldn’t be forced to fund activists.”

“Well done to the Councillors bold enough to push back and raise their concerns, and shame on the Councillors continuing this expensive and politically-skewed charade.”