The decision to put the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No 2) on hold in September 2016 demonstrates clearly the strength that local government has as a unified political voice within New Zealand's democracy. In a smilar way to what occured uin 1989 the Bill promoted the Local Government Commission as the protagonist for changes to local government,to reorganise services such as water, transport and economic development across local authority boundaries into joint council-controlled organisations.

This proposal would, in essence, force councils to work together through regulation rather than choice when in reality they already do. Early parliamentary support for deliberation on this proposed amendment has now been withdrawn in the face of a strong and determined response from local councils and those who represent them. And while an impending general election year may have tempered the National-led government’s resolve here, one can only wonder what local government could achieve if it worked together as a united political force more often