Horizons Regional Council: 14 Iwi Agreements Rushed Through in Secret?

Local councils across New Zealand are quietly locking ratepayers into long-term co-governance arrangements without any honest conversation about the final bill. This week at Horizons Regional Council, councillors are being asked to progress 14 separate Mana Whakahono ā Rohe agreements under the Resource Management Act. These deals require staff, lawyers, consultants, and ongoing administration potentially forever, yet councils are treating basic financial questions from elected members as a problem. We look at the growing culture of information overload inside local government, where massive agenda papers are dumped on councillors right before a vote. With major central government reforms coming to replace the RMA framework, rushing these commitments through on the hoof makes no sense. Ratepayers deserve to know where their money is going, especially when every dollar spent on bureaucracy is a dollar not spent on fixing roads and upgrading infrastructure. 00:00:00 - The Hidden Cost of Local Co-Governance 00:01:45 - 14 Separate Iwi Agreements at Horizons Council 00:03:30 - Information Overload and the Lack of Council Scrutiny 00:05:30 - Why We Need to Freeze Decisions Before the RMA Changes Join this channel to get access to perks:    / @duncangarnerpodcast   Get in touch with Duncan - [email protected] and join us on the socials. Website: https://www.rova.nz/podcasts/duncan-g... Instagram: @DuncanGarnerpodcast TikTok: @DuncanGarnerpodcast