Ratepayers' Report 2025 - FAQs

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the purpose of the Ratepayers’ Report?   

• The Ratepayers' Report provides accountability and transparency to New Zealand ratepayers by allowing them to compare their local territorial authority with others around the country.   

  

Where was the data sourced?   

• The Taxpayers' Union compiled the data in the Ratepayers' Report from figures obtained under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, the Department of Internal Affairs’ (DIA) Council Performance Measurement, and Annual Reports for the 2023/24 financial year.   

• Population and household data is taken from the most recent data available from Stats NZ.  

  

Where did the group finance figures come from?   

• Group finance figures are taken from each Council's annual report and LGOIMA requests from councils. They include figures from the council as well as all subsidiary council-controlled organisations (CCOs).  

  

Which councils are assessed in the Ratepayers' Report?   

• Of New Zealand's 78 Councils, 77 are examined in the Ratepayers' Report. That includes all city, district, unitary and regional councils, with the exclusion of the Chatham Islands Council (due to concerns surrounding that Council's workload pressure and unique position), and those who did not respond to our requests. Due to the delayed adoption of an Annual Report, only limited data is available for Buller District Council.  

  

Is this the first Ratepayers' Report?   

• No. The Ratepayers' Report was first published in 2014 jointly by the Taxpayers' Union and Fairfax Media (now Stuff). The Taxpayers’ Union has since published updated versions in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023. 

 

How are the councils grouped?  

• Councils are grouped into 6 different categories (Metropolitan, City, Provincial, Rural, Unitary Authorities, and Regional). 

• City councils represent a population of over 50,000, mostly urban-based. District councils represent a smaller, more widely dispersed population. This allows comparisons between councils of a similar nature.   

  

How were the average rates calculated?   

• Calculating an 'apples to apples' figure for residential rates presents challenges as councils use various mixes of rates, levies, and user charges. Our approach is based on work by Napier City Council to find an average residential rate. The methodology councils were asked to use to calculate the figures disclosed in the Ratepayers' Report is available here.  

• While we think this approach is useful and fair, the average residential and non-residential rate figure should be a guide only.  

• Unitary authorities (Auckland Council, Nelson City Council, Gisborne, Tasman, and Marlborough District Councils) perform the functions of a regional council and therefore can be expected to have higher rates than other territorial authorities.   

  

What are the potential limitations of the Ratepayers’ Report?   

• Empty or undeveloped sections are counted as rating units. This means the average residential rates figure for a territory with a high proportion of undeveloped sections, such as Wairoa District Council, may appear relatively low while the actual level of rates levied on an average Wairoa homeowner is likely to be higher.   

 

Can Councils provide feedback on the information supplied? 

• Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the data contained in this report. Councils can provide feedback by emailing [email protected]