The Local Government Minister says most councils will be affected by the Government’s overhaul of committee voting rights. 

A Bill amendment will strip voting rights from unelected members —including iwi and youth representatives— on council committees. 

Simon Watts told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's open to further changes down the track, but acknowledges some unelected members still bring value to local decision-making. 

He says there are emergency management committees that have specific expertise, for example. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The Local Government Minister says most councils will be affected by the Government’s overhaul of committee voting rights.&nbsp;
A Bill amendment will strip voting rights from unelected members —including iwi and youth representatives— on council committees.&nbsp;
Simon Watts told Heather du Plessis-Allan he's open to further changes down the track, but acknowledges some unelected members still bring value to local decision-making.&nbsp;
He says there are emergency management committees that have specific expertise, for example.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

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The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show. Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda. The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion, delivers the best talent, and always leaves you wanting more. The Mike Hosking Breakfast always cuts through and delivers the best daily on Newstalk ZB.

Open your mind to the world with New Zealand’s number one breakfast radio show.Without question, as New Zealand’s number one talk host, Mike Hosking sets the day’s agenda.The sharpest voice and mind in the business, Mike drives strong opinion,...

The Mike Hosking Breakfast

Simon Watts: Local Government Minister on the move to restrict council voting to elected members

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/b67bcd99-8d8a-4f63-9495-b45d014b702a/transcript

Labour will not have move on orders and Labour will undo the social housing changes, which don’t actually start anyway until next year. 

These are their latest policies and it's these ideas and policies that will lead to their election loss. 

Social housing assistance is being adjusted so the money can be offset in the private sector, so those paying more can get a better deal. It's a perfectly logical policy. 

It's unfair for a person in social public housing to get a better deal than a person in social private housing, unless the state provides every social house, which it doesn’t and never will. 

One person pays less because of their luck. Labour thinks that's good policy. They are wrong. 

The main problem with the current version of Labour is they are not the Labour aligned to Mike Moore or David Lange or Annette King or Helen Clark. 

Middle Labour. Sensible Labour. 

Move-on orders deal with people who cause trouble, mainly downtown. It's not the homeless per se, as pedalled by Labour and the media. It's not some poor, tragic soul quietly in a corner wondering what's happened to their life. 

It’s the troublemaker, the violent, threatening thug, the person who abuses you, attacks you, causes trouble and a scene, often as a result of too many drugs. 

They frighten people, they kill business. They have no more rights than the rest of us and yet it's those people Labour support. 

Can't move them on because they deserve more rights than the rest of us. 

Now, Labour are entitled to believe this, and they are entitled to promote it as a reason to vote for them. 

The trouble is this version of Labour is hopelessly out of touch with middle New Zealand and middle New Zealand wins and loses elections. 

Opposing the Government for the sake of it is not mature or well thought through. 

Explain the logic of a person in a state house paying less just because it’s a state house. It literally makes no sense and yet because the Government did it, it must be wrong. 

Explain to the business owner why the drugged-out deadbeat blocking your shop door has more right to be there than the customer who can't get in. 

That's Labour 2026. And that’s why they're going to lose. 

Labour will not have move on orders and Labour will undo the social housing changes, which don’t actually start anyway until next year.&nbsp;
These are their latest policies and it's these ideas and policies that will lead to their election loss.&nbsp;
Social housing assistance is being adjusted so the money can be offset in the private sector, so those paying more can get a better deal. It's a perfectly logical policy.&nbsp;
It's unfair for a person in social public housing to get a better deal than a person in social private housing, unless the state provides every social house, which it doesn’t and never will.&nbsp;
One person pays less because of their luck. Labour thinks that's good policy. They are wrong.&nbsp;
The main problem with the current version of Labour is they are not the Labour aligned to Mike Moore or David Lange or Annette King or Helen Clark.&nbsp;
Middle Labour. Sensible Labour.&nbsp;
Move-on orders deal with people who cause trouble, mainly downtown. It's not the homeless per se, as pedalled by Labour and the media. It's not some poor, tragic soul quietly in a corner wondering what's happened to their life.&nbsp;
It’s the troublemaker, the violent, threatening thug, the person who abuses you, attacks you, causes trouble and a scene, often as a result of too many drugs.&nbsp;
They frighten people, they kill business. They have no more rights than the rest of us and yet it's those people Labour support.&nbsp;
Can't move them on because they deserve more rights than the rest of us.&nbsp;
Now, Labour are entitled to believe this, and they are entitled to promote it as a reason to vote for them.&nbsp;
The trouble is this version of Labour is hopelessly out of touch with middle New Zealand and middle New Zealand wins and loses elections.&nbsp;
Opposing the Government for the sake of it is not mature or well thought through.&nbsp;
Explain the logic of a person in a state house paying less just because it’s a state house. It literally makes no sense and yet because the Government did it, it must be wrong.&nbsp;
Explain to the business owner why the drugged-out deadbeat blocking your shop door has more right to be there than the customer who can't get in.&nbsp;
That's Labour 2026. And that’s why they're going to lose.&nbsp;

Mike's Minute: This is why Labour will lose the election

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1df92f3c-cc89-4ab6-8521-b4790175e03c/transcript

The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela is expected to increase as search efforts ramp up. 

More than 1,700 people have died, with tens of thousands still missing.  

More than 5,000 people are known to be injured, and nearly 16,000 people have been displaced. 

US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking some 27 countries have responded to the disaster, with more than 2000 rescuers involved. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

The death toll from last week's twin earthquakes in Venezuela is expected to increase as search efforts ramp up.&nbsp;
More than 1,700 people have died, with tens of thousands still missing. &nbsp;
More than 5,000 people are known to be injured, and nearly 16,000 people have been displaced.&nbsp;
US Correspondent Richard Arnold told Mike Hosking some 27 countries have responded to the disaster, with more than 2000 rescuers involved.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Richard Arnold: US Correspondent on the rising death toll, search and rescue efforts after the Venezuela earthquakes

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/e549dcfa-fdf4-4958-abf6-b4790170e1de/transcript

Kiwibank believes there’s no need to increase the Official Cash Rate just yet. 

They believe the figure should be held at 2.25% when the Reserve Bank reviews it next week. 

Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr told Mike Hosking that oil prices were a temporary shock and some of the fears around secondary inflationary pressures haven’t eventuated. 

He told Mike Hosking that wages are still very soft and the economy is still recovering, so there’s no need to hike rates just yet.  

LISTEN ABOVE 

Kiwibank believes there’s no need to increase the Official Cash Rate just yet.&nbsp;
They believe the figure should be held at 2.25% when the Reserve Bank reviews it next week.&nbsp;
Kiwibank Chief Economist Jarrod Kerr told Mike Hosking that oil prices were a temporary shock and some of the fears around secondary inflationary pressures haven’t eventuated.&nbsp;
He told Mike Hosking that wages are still very soft and the economy is still recovering, so there’s no need to hike rates just yet. &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

Jarrod Kerr: Kiwibank Chief Economist on their economic outlook for the remainder of 2026

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/11372401-530d-490f-ba3f-b479016a4974/transcript

Simon Watts: Local Government Minister on the move to restrict council voting to elected members

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