Campaign Supporters
From the hundreds of emails received we can identify where some of our supporters live.We are truly Nationwide
South Island
Invercargill, Gore, Dunedin, Central Otago, Omarau, St Andrews, Greymouth, Westport, Ashburton, Christchurch, Rangiora, Mahana, Nerlson
North Island
Wellington City, Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Johnsonville, Porirua, Whitby, Plimmerton, Kapiti Coast, Paraparaumu, Waikanae beach, Levin, South Wairarapa, Eketahuna, Gisborne, Palmerston North, Feilding, Whanganui, New Plymouth, Napier, Hastings, Dannevirke, Opotiki, Whakatane, Taupo, Mangakino, Taumaranui, Rotorua, Tauranga, National Park, Ohakune, Reetihi, Phura, Ongarue, Papamoa, Hamilton, Tairuua, Coromandel, Waiuku, Papakura, Manukau City, Auckland City, Ponui Island, Waiheke Island, Waitakere City, Henderson, North Shore City, Rodney District, Waimauku, Snells Beach, Orewa, Kawerau Island, Wellsford, Puhoi, Hikurangi, Whangarei, Russell, KaitaiaAbout This Campaign
The NoMoreRates Campaign
The two objectives of this campaign are to get a fairer system of funding local councils, and to make councils more accountable by putting limits on councils' expenditure which cannot be exceeded without the specific approval of the community.Over the last four years we have seen a nationwide outcry against council rate increases- including a move by ACT leader Rodney Hide to introduce ‘rate capping’ legislation into Parliament.
In 2003 the Ratepayers Rebellion campaign received huge support for a battle against the Auckland Regional Council rates policy.
At one stage more than 140,000 ratepayers were withholding all or part of their rates – a valiant few are still holding out.
When, early in 2006, councils were forced to produce 10-year financial plans, there was national outrage at the level of rate increases being proposed.
The Auckland ratepayers Rebellion became the nationwide NoMoreRates campaign.
NoMoreRates supporters, including Greypower, launched an assault on MPs via email, letters, faxes and postcards calling on all MPs to support the Rodney Hide’s Rates Capping Bill.
Regrettably the seven members of Winston Peter’s New Zealand First party refused to support the Bill and it was defeated - by just 7 votes in the House of Representatives on August 23rd. 2006
However, as a result of the public outcry, the Government set up an ‘Independent Rates Inquiry’ into the whole question of funding for local councils.
Regrettably the Inquiry Terms of Reference do not mention ‘rate capping’, and ratepayers and residents have no prospect of any protection from more huge rate increases in the next few years.
Which is why we launched a petition which asks Parliament to introduce amending legislation to restrict the level of increases.
The petition had limited circulation via the internet but, in order to get the matter into the system quickly, the first batch of over 5,000 signatures, was presented to Parliament on 12th December 2006.
It was referred to the Local Government Select Committee and NoMoreRates has asked that committee to refer the petition to the Rates Inquiry.
The NoMoreRates campaign raised public awareness of the public meetings of the Rates Inquiry which had until then received very little publicity.
The campaign was also successful in forcing the Inquiry to hold additional public meetings in Auckland and Invercargill.
The current campaign is now concentrating on getting supporters to put in written submissions to the Inquiry. We all know rates are unfair - together we must and can force change.