September 15, 2026
Wayne Brown is throwing a mayoral tantrum because the Government wants council votes cast by people Aucklanders can actually vote out.
Responding to Brown’s threat to walk away from the Auckland Deal if Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) members lose their committee voting rights, Ratepayers' Alliance spokesperson Jordan Williams said:
“Brown likes unelected votes because they help get his resolutions over the line. Now Wellington is threatening to remove his political training wheels, he is screaming ‘butt out’. What a self-interested disgrace.
“His claim that unelected members ‘contribute to, rather than take away from, democracy’ is so Orwellian that George Orwell’s estate should demand royalties.
“Aucklanders cannot vote IMSB members in or out. Claiming their votes add to democracy is like claiming Brown’s rate hikes make ratepayers richer.
“We are astonished that Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson — National’s voice on the Council — is party to these stand-over tactics. National’s constitution lists ‘equal citizenship’ among its values. Her direct challenge to the Prime Minister and Simon Watts raises serious questions about whether she can credibly remain in the party.
“If Brown cannot persuade a majority of elected representatives to support him, the problem is not democracy. The problem is Wayne Brown.”
September 15, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is claiming a major victory after the Government confirmed it will change the law to ensure that only elected members can vote on Auckland Council committees.
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
“Following a campaign by the Ratepayers’ Alliance, Local Government Minister Simon Watts has agreed to close the legal loophole in a Government bill that would have allowed unelected members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board to retain voting rights on Auckland Council committees.”
“This is a major victory for local democracy in Auckland. As we have long argued, the power to vote on how ratepayers’ money is spent must rest with people whom ratepayers can vote out.”
August 25, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is urging Auckland Council to ensure that any congestion charge is revenue neutral.
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
“Congestion charging should be used to manage demand on Auckland’s busiest roads. It must not be another revenue grab.”
“At the upper end of the options being considered, a commuter could be charged $7 each way. That is $70 a week and potentially more than $3,000 a year just to get to work.”
“Aucklanders already pay for the transport network through their rates, fuel taxes and road-user charges. They should not be forced to pay again without receiving an equivalent reduction elsewhere.”
“Every net dollar raised from congestion charging should be matched by a dollar reduction in the rates bill. Anything less would turn congestion charging into just another tax.”
July 27, 2026
Auckland Council owns a $548 million art collection, yet only 1.92 percent of it is on public display, according to a new Taxpayers' Union report, The Art of the State: the value of New Zealand's council art collections.
Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesperson, Josh Van Veen, said:
"Auckland ratepayers own one of the most valuable public art collections in the Southern Hemisphere, but are we seeing $548 million of value back for it?”
“Auckland's collection comprises of 14,824 artworks worth $548.2 million, equal to $899 in art assets for every Auckland household. They also budgeted to spend almost $9 million this year on art-related costs, including further acquisitions. While ratepayers are charged with the highest rates increase in the Supercity's history, how is this spending justifiable?”
"There's nothing wrong with public art, but there is something wrong with spending millions maintaining and expanding a collection when 98 percent of it sits out of sight while Auckland ratepayers face ever-rising rates."
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is calling on Auckland Council to publish a complete collection register and review whether underutilised assets should remain on the balance sheet.
July 17, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is responding to reports of a violent altercation at a National Party event involving Mayor Wayne Brown.
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"Violence has no place in our democracy. We urge Police to investigate reports that a man allegedly threw a punch at Mayor Wayne Brown."
"Whether the target is the Mayor or any other member of the public, allegations of violence should be treated seriously and those responsible held to account."
"Political disagreements should be resolved through debate, not intimidation or assault. Everyone has the right to participate in public life without fear of violence."
July 03, 2026
Auckland Ratepayers appear to back calls by senior councillors for the Minister of Local Government to appoint a Crown Observer to monitor the dysfunction at Auckland Council.
An overnight survey of 825 Auckland ratepayers found that 95 percent believe the Government should appoint a Crown Observer.
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"Ratepayers clearly believe that councillors must be able to carry out their duties without fear of abuse or retaliation."
"Given that the Mayor isn’t taking this seriously and continues to attack councillors who disagree with him, the Government must step in."
"It’s time for the Minister of Local Government to step in and appoint a Crown Observer to restore confidence in Auckland Council."
July 02, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance says the reports of Councillor Christine Fletcher being verbally abused by another elected member during a recent Council meeting justify mayoral intervention.
Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"Mayor Wayne Brown must get to the bottom of this very serious allegation."
"The elected member who abused Councillor Fletcher should be held accountable and censured by the Governing Body. Such serious allegations cannot be allowed to fester."
"Such conduct has a chilling effect on political debate and local democracy. Councillors should be free to disagree and vote according to their conscience without having to tolerate abuse from their colleagues."
"The Mayor has a responsibility to ensure Councillor Fletcher's claims are investigated thoroughly and, if substantiated, appropriate action taken."
"If it is true an elected official is calling a colleague a 'fat...', it calls into question their fitness to remain in the job."
June 18, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is welcoming the announcement by New Zealand First that it will campaign to abolish the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB).
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"The IMSB is unelected and unaccountable to anyone, yet it wields considerable power. We have previously called for the Government to strip the IMSB of voting rights on council committees."
“But the time has come to get rid of the IMSB altogether."
“Auckland Council should be governed by representatives who are elected by, and accountable to, Aucklanders. There is no place in local government for a body with special statutory privileges that ratepayers have no ability to vote for or remove."
"The Independent Māori Statutory Board was established as a temporary political compromise during the formation of the Auckland Super City. More than 15 years later, it has become an entrenched layer of bureaucracy that undermines democratic accountability."
"Local democracy works best when governors are directly answerable to the public. Abolishing the IMSB would be a step toward restoring that principle."
June 17, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance is responding to reports of a "toxic" culture at Auckland Council, with some councillors alleging they were bullied and intimidated for opposing Wayne Brown's record-high rates increase.
Ratepayers' Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"Auckland Council is going the way of Wellington under Tory Whanau and Tauranga under Tenby Powell."
"This is a mayor who threatened to 're-arrange' the face of a ratepayer advocate, regularly insults and belittles his council colleagues in public, and uses his social media platform to disparage government ministers."
"It's unsurprising that he has fostered an atmosphere of fear and loathing in the council chamber."
"We understand that Brown now plans to use an upcoming committee reshuffle to punish those councillors who dared to vote against his record-high rates increase."
"Brown's Trumpian behaviour is leading Auckland Council down a path of dysfunction that will inevitably result in government intervention unless the Mayor pulls his head in and respects the right of councillors to vote against him. After all, this is a democracy, not a dictatorship."
June 10, 2026
The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance has released a legal opinion from Franks Ogilvie confirming that the Government could remove the voting rights of the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) through a simple amendment to the Local Government Systems Improvement Bill currently before Parliament.
Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:
"Local Government Minister Simon Watts has claimed it is too difficult to close the loophole that allows Auckland Council to grant voting rights to the IMSB despite backing from the Prime Minister."
"However, the Franks Ogilvie opinion confirms that Watts could include a simple amendment to an existing bill already before Parliament. He can act now if he chooses to do so."
"Aucklanders are simply asking for the same democratic protections that the Government is extending to the rest of the country."
"If Parliament is willing to protect equal voting rights everywhere else, there is no reason Auckland should be treated differently."
