Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance

Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance Fighting for reasonable rates and sensible spending in our Super City. We are a group of Aucklanders championing value for money from Auckland Council.

We expose waste, fight for lower rates, and champion accountability. Authorised by New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc, t/a Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance, 55 Shortland Street, Auckland.

Auckland Council's spending is getting a little too magnetic. 🧲While Aucklanders struggle with rising rates, Council is ...
09/10/2026

Auckland Council's spending is getting a little too magnetic. 🧲

While Aucklanders struggle with rising rates, Council is finding new ways to stick taxpayers with the bill.

Surely there are better things to spend $5,375 on than fridge decorations?

We look forward to hearing the results.At a time when Aucklanders are being asked to stump up more in rates, every grant...
08/10/2026

We look forward to hearing the results.

At a time when Aucklanders are being asked to stump up more in rates, every grant should have to pass a simple test: does this deliver enough value to justify taking the money from ratepayers in the first place?

Auckland Council has voted to ditch postal voting.Switching instead to a booth voting system that will cost ratepayers m...
30/09/2026

Auckland Council has voted to ditch postal voting.

Switching instead to a booth voting system that will cost ratepayers millions of dollars.

We'd like to know how you'd vote. Do you support ditching postal voting? ✉️

Was this a good use of your rates?Somewhere over the rainbow Auckland Council awarded $15,000 towards Prowl Mini Fest Wh...
24/09/2026

Was this a good use of your rates?

Somewhere over the rainbow Auckland Council awarded $15,000 towards Prowl Mini Fest Whacking for Auckland Pride.

The council certainly aren’t shy about taking pride in their spending!

Wayne Brown claims he's kept his promise on rates...
22/09/2026

Wayne Brown claims he's kept his promise on rates...

Unelected people should butt out of how our rates are spent!This is about democracy.If you have the power to vote on dec...
15/09/2026

Unelected people should butt out of how our rates are spent!

This is about democracy.

If you have the power to vote on decisions affecting ratepayers, you should be accountable to the people paying the bill. Why is this even a conversation?

A win for Auckland ratepayers. 👏Following our campaign, the Government has agreed to close a loophole that would have al...
15/09/2026

A win for Auckland ratepayers. 👏

Following our campaign, the Government has agreed to close a loophole that would have allowed unelected members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board to retain voting rights on Auckland Council committees.

It’s pretty simple: if you can vote on how ratepayers’ money is spent, ratepayers should be able to vote you out.

That’s local democracy.

15/09/2026

𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻'𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗺 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗱, 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘆

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.”

14/09/2026

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆: 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝘂𝗰𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱

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.”

When ratepayer pockets run dry, Wayne Brown turned to the taxpayer, now he's turned international visitors. Aucklanders...
14/09/2026

When ratepayer pockets run dry, Wayne Brown turned to the taxpayer, now he's turned international visitors.

Aucklanders were promised rates would be brought under control. Instead, they’re facing a 7.9% increase.

Now he wants a new visitor levy to raise even more money.

But the real problem remains: spending addiction.

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