Ratepayers' Alliance welcomes PM's promise to remove IMSB voting rights - but why wait?

The Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance is responding to comments made by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon on Newstalk ZB this morning in which he promised to strip the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) of voting rights after the election.

Ratepayers’ Alliance spokesman Josh Van Veen said:

"The Minister of Local Government, Simon Watts, has previously said the IMSB will not be affected by his ban on unelected members’ voting because it sits outside of the Local Government Act."

"Watts claims it would be too difficult and time-consuming to resolve this issue before the election. But now he has the full backing of the Prime Minister, why wait?"

"It only requires a simple amendment to Auckland Council’s enabling legislation to remove a single clause that currently gives Auckland Council the authority to appoint IMSB members to any council committee."

"If the Government is serious about protecting local democracy in Auckland, then it must act urgently and change the law now."