This article considers public consultation in the context of New Zealand local government. Although by international standards New Zealand possesses a rich culture of citizen engagement and public consultation (OECD, 2015), the quality of consultation presents itself as a problem to local government, as their efforts have often been perceived as unsatisfactory (Asquith, 2012; Barrett...

Editorial note: Local government in New Zealand exists within a fairly well-defined narrative. New Zealand is the most centralised nation within the OECD. Central government is by far the dominant partner in the central-local relationship and recent innovations in local government have tended towards further centralisation, such as the amalgamation into Auckland’s Super-City. While there...

The local government system in Western Australia has two unique characteristics. It is the only state in Australia where there has not been significant reform of the sector. In addition, it is the only state where legislation contains binding provisions for a poll of electors on local government amalgamations. It would be reasonable to conclude...

This article examines three taxes that have the potential to assist with addressing income inequality: estate taxes, gift taxes, and capital gains taxes. Reports on the historical background of these taxes to investigate why taxes that have the potential to act in a redistributive capacity have not been successful in NZ. Questions whether historical justifications...

Presents data using a variety of lenses – the state as taxer, spender, producer, employer, investor and steward – to assess how the size and shape of the state has changed since 1900.