Latest / Early Edition with Ryan Bridge / Matt Cowley: Local Government Business Forum Chair ahead of the second day of the Local Government New Zealand conference

Transcript

Matt Cowley: Local Government Business Forum Chair ahead of the second day of the Local Government New Zealand conference · Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: Lux and ripping the mayors and the counselors at the
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: Local Government conference in Wellington a new one yesterday, saying
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: stop wasting your money on dumb stuff.
• 0:10
  Speaker 2: I think the building that we're in today is a
• 0:12
  Speaker 2: classic example, with pipes bursting and quite literally this morning,
• 0:16
  Speaker 2: pipes bursting on the streets not far from here. And
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: it looks very nice, and it's great, and it's very
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: nice for us politicians to have a wonderful space to
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: make some great speeches in. But can anyone seriously say
• 0:27
  Speaker 2: that was the right financial decision?
• 0:29
  Speaker 3: And so on?
• 0:30
  Speaker 1: That was luxon yesterday. The conference continues today for day two.
• 0:34
  Speaker 1: We did actually try to get someone on from Local
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: Government New Zealand, but not available. I suspect there are
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: a few drinking poohs last night and maybe people didn't
• 0:43
  Speaker 1: want to get up. I don't know, I'm speculating. But
• 0:45
  Speaker 1: luckily this morning we have Matt Cowley, who is with
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: the Local Government Business Forum. He's the chair. Matt, Good morning,
• 0:52
  Speaker 1: Good morning, Ryan, thank you for being with me. I
• 0:55
  Speaker 1: really appreciate your time. What did you make of Luckson's comments.
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: I think he's getting ahead of the announcements which will
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: possibly be made today around the city and regional deals
• 1:08
  Speaker 3: and that it's not going to be a free lunch
• 1:10
  Speaker 3: for councils. The government is wanting to address some of
• 1:13
  Speaker 3: these big infrastructure deficits, but racpayers will need a chip
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: in as well. And yes, so basically wanting to make
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: sure that councils are focused on some of the big
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: issues that they want to address.
• 1:26
  Speaker 1: Do you agree that they haven't been.
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: Well, evidence will prove that the infrastructure deficit has been
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: really big and some councils have been focusing more on
• 1:39
  Speaker 3: some water and core assets than others.
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I think that's true, And to be fair, he
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: did say that too, they're not all bad. What do
• 1:48
  Speaker 1: you think of this idea of revenue caps on the
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: nice to have things.
• 1:54
  Speaker 3: I think he's particularly looking towards those reflecting on the
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: rural communities and the farmers and those that are shifting
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: to maybe capital valuation and even where some councils are
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: even looking at capitalizing on kiwi fruit licenses so that
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: they can gain more revenue out of the primary sector
• 2:16
  Speaker 3: to boost into some urban areas. When you're looking at
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: some rural areas that are actually removing their tasia roads
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: putting them back into gravel because it's unaffordable, and that's
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: backwards in terms of comparing to some nice to have projects.
• 2:31
  Speaker 3: There are some projects that can stand up on their own.
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: But yeah, a real focus needs to go on those
• 2:37
  Speaker 3: councils to make sure they're focusing on this peak into
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: infrastructure deficits.
• 2:41
  Speaker 1: Yeah, basically the whole revenue model needs a total rethink.
• 2:46
  Speaker 1: And that's quite innovative one that you mentioned for rural areas,
• 2:49
  Speaker 1: but they need it basically just because you've got a
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: fifteen percent average rates increase at the moment for across
• 2:55
  Speaker 1: the country for anyone who's paying rates, which is really
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: hard to stomach. And as you know, as we mentioned
• 3:03
  Speaker 1: the other week, adding to the inflation problem as well
• 3:05
  Speaker 1: has been Matt, thank you very much for your time.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: Matt Carley with US Local Government Business Forum Chair. That
• 3:11
  Speaker 1: Local Government conference continues today and we had I did
• 3:16
  Speaker 1: hear some comment from Tory Farno the willing to me
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: saying that she thought he Luxan was punching down on
• 3:21
  Speaker 1: the Meyors yesterday.
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: I don't know.
• 3:24
  Speaker 1: I just think they kind of they kind of needed it,
• 3:28
  Speaker 1: didn't they. You know, it's not personal either, it's not personal.
• 3:31
  Speaker 1: It's not saying that you there's something wrong with you
• 3:34
  Speaker 1: as a as an individual, just that as a collective,
• 3:37
  Speaker 1: perhaps they have been looking in the wrong direction.
• 3:42
  Speaker 3: For more from News Talks ad B. Listen live on
• 3:44
  Speaker 3: air or online, and
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: podcasts on IR Radio.