Search written questions to Ministers and the replies they have received.
Showing 301 to 350 of 1661 written question sets.
Asked by
Lan Pham
List MP · Green Party
(matches this search)
What papers, if any, did the Minister take to Cabinet during the week beginning 03/08/2026, by title and date?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
None.
Asked by
Francisco Hernandez
List MP · Green Party
(matches this search)
Why did New Zealand Green Investment Finance divest from Kayasand?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Climate Change
Cabinet decided to wind down New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF) in April 2025 [CAB-25-MIN-0086.02 refers]. As part of its wind-down plan and asset realisation process, NZGIF have been exiting its remaining investments and…
Asked by
Francisco Hernandez
List MP · Green Party
(matches this search)
Why did New Zealand Green Investment Finance divest from Neocrete?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Climate Change
Cabinet decided to wind down New Zealand Green Investment Finance (NZGIF) in April 2025 [CAB-25-MIN-0086.02 refers]. As part of its wind-down plan and asset realisation process, NZGIF have been exiting its remaining investments and…
Asked by
Lan Pham
List MP · Green Party
(matches this search)
What work-related material, if anything, have staff within the office of the Minister for Local Government sent to or received from lobbying groups using a non-work (e.g. personal or business) email address during this term of Government?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
None.
Asked by
Lan Pham
List MP · Green Party
(matches this search)
What work-related material, if anything, has the Minister for Local Government sent to or received from lobbying groups using a non-work (e.g. personal or business) email address during this term of Government?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
None.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How will decisions on future City and Regional Deals be sequenced against the local government reorganisation timetable running to the 2028 local elections, if at all?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which regions, if any, have been advised that they are not eligible for a City and Regional Deal, and on what grounds?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals or eligability for future deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice has been received on whether further City and Regional Deals should be signed before the general election on 7 November 2026, and what convention applies to entering long-term intergovernmental agreements during the…
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The process for negotiating and agreeing Deals is complex and involves several preceding steps. The Government will announce what the next stages of the programme will look like in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What estimate does the Government hold of the fiscal cost of extending City and Regional Deals to every region in New Zealand, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
As the cost of any deal depends on the proposal and what is negotiated, it is not possible to give an estimate, as not every region has proposed a deal and been selected to undertake negotiations with the government.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Why does the South Island have only one region in the first tranche of City and Regional Deals, and what assessment has been made of the geographic distribution of the programme, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Because three deals were announced as part of the first tranche of city and regional deals. Assessment of which deals to progress was not based on geographic location.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What is the current status of any proposal for a City and Regional Deal covering Christchurch and Canterbury, Wellington, Waikato, Northland, Hawke's Bay, Manawatū-Whanganui, Taranaki, Nelson-Tasman, Marlborough, the West Coast, Southland…
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What consideration has been given to a Rotorua-Taupō City and Regional Deal, if any, and what is the current status of that proposal?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What consideration has been given to a City and Regional Deal for the Eastern Bay of Plenty covering the Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki and Kawerau districts, and what is the current status of that proposal?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which regions or councils have written to Ministers seeking a City and Regional Deal since 1 July 2025, and what response was given in each case?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No proposals for new Deals have been received. Decisions on the next phase of City and Regional Deals have not yet been made.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
When will the Government open a further round of City and Regional Deals, how many regions will be invited to participate, and what selection criteria will apply?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Will the asset recycling and Crown uplift model used in the Western Bay of Plenty Deal be made available to other regions, and if so, which regions have expressed interest in using it?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on a further round of City and Regional Deals.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What analysis supports the estimate that the Western Bay of Plenty Deal will enable capacity for around 15,000 new homes, and over what period are those dwellings expected to be consented and built?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Deal provides for a refreshed Western Bay of Plenty Sub Regional spatial plan under the new resource management system. The work on the location, quantum, timing and staging of the residential growth areas is part of the development of…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What commitments has Health New Zealand made under the Western Bay of Plenty Deal, if any, which facilities do they relate to, and what is the estimated cost of each?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Health New Zealand's commitments under the Western Bay of Plenty Deal are set out in Schedule 1 of the publicly available Western Bay of Plenty Deal. These commitments build on Health New Zealand's and the Sub Region’s commitment to work…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What does the phrase "local asset recycling plus a Crown uplift" mean in practice under the Western Bay of Plenty Deal, which council assets have been identified for sale, and what uplift rate has been agreed or modelled?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Further work will be undertaken as part of the implementation planning.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which specific roads or corridors in the Western Bay of Plenty are being considered for new tolls under the Western Bay of Plenty Deal, if any, and what toll rates have been modelled?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Government Policy Statement on Land Transport 2024 established that NZTA is expected to consider tolling for all new state highways as a way of increasing revenue, improving value for money, and supporting the delivery of major state…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Who are the members of the Auckland Deal Oversight Board, how many times has it met, and are its agendas and papers publicly available, if not, why not?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Auckland Oversight Board has met on two occasions since its establishment. Information on the Board’s work programme and progress will be made available once the Implementation Plan has been finalised.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice has been received on whether an Auckland accommodation levy would be set, collected and retained locally or set nationally, if any, and which agency would collect it?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The deal commits to exploring this in 2027.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What decision-making powers, if any, were devolved from central government to Auckland Council under the Auckland Deal?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
None.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How much additional Crown funding, if any, has been committed to Auckland as a direct result of the Auckland Deal that was not already committed before 10 April 2026?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Central Government committed $5 million to the development of Colin Maiden Park to enable the interim solution for the staged transition of Auckland Cricket to Colin Maiden Park.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
Which commitments in the Auckland Deal signed on 10 April 2026 have been completed, which are behind schedule, and what is the reason for each delay?
What is the current status of the Auckland Deal commitment to explore an accommodation levy in 2027, which agency is leading that work, and when will decisions be made?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Implementation planning is still underway. The deal commits that this is completed within 6 months of the signing. Deals are over a 10-year period.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice has been received on a public transport service connecting Alexandra, Cromwell, Wānaka and Queenstown, if any, and what is the estimated annual operating subsidy?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
As the Minister of Local Government, I have not received any such advice.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many affordable or workforce dwellings will the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal commit to delivering, over what period, and against what definition of affordability, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I do not consider it to be in the public interest to discuss the details of the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal before it is publicly announced, which will be in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What commitments relating to health infrastructure in the Queenstown Lakes district, including any privately funded hospital proposal, are contemplated in the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I do not consider it to be in the public interest to discuss the details of the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal before it is publicly announced, which will be in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice, if any, has been received on electricity transmission and distribution constraints affecting growth in the Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago districts, and what network investment commitments are contemplated in the regional…
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I do not consider it to be in the public interest to discuss the details of the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal before it is publicly announced, which will be in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice has been received on congestion charging in the Queenstown Lakes district, including which corridors were modelled and what revenue and travel-time effects were estimated, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I do not consider it to be in the public interest to discuss the details of the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal before it is publicly announced, which will be in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which specific funding and financing tools are contemplated in the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal, and which of them would require new primary legislation before they could be used?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I do not consider it to be in the public interest to discuss the details of the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal before it is publicly announced, which will be in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
When will the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal be signed, and what accounts for it being signed later than the Auckland and Western Bay of Plenty deals?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I expect the Otago Central Lakes Regional Deal to be signed when Cabinet and the respective councils have agreed to it. Deals are signed when they are ready, and the signing order was determined by which deals were ready first.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many meetings have taken place between officials working on City and Regional Deals and officials working on local government reorganisation since 1 January 2026, and what was the purpose of each?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I am advised by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport that while the information requested is held, in order to provide a response to this question as asked, it would require significant manual collation and I am not…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
When was the Minister first advised that City and Regional Deals were being negotiated with regional councils at the same time as policy was being developed to disestablish regional councils?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
City and Regional Deals are about integrating policy, investment, zoning, planning and consenting decisions. This involves all relevant levels of government, including territorial and regional authorities.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice, if any, has been received on whether a region's progress towards council amalgamation will be a factor in selecting regions for future City and Regional Deals?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Councils that are working well together in support of a Simplifying Local Government proposal are likely to be well placed to develop a City and Regional Deal proposal in due course.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What will happen to the commitments made by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council under the Western Bay of Plenty Deal, and by the Otago Regional Council under any Otago Central Lakes deal, once regional councils are disestablished?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Deal can be varied by agreement between the parties.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What provision, if any, do the Auckland Deal and the Western Bay of Plenty Deal make for the transfer of a council's obligations to a successor local authority, and if no such provision exists, what legislative mechanism would be used?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Deal can be varied by agreement between the parties.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which councils that are signatories to a signed City and Regional Deal have been identified as likely to be disestablished or amalgamated under the Government's local government reorganisation programme, if any?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No decisions have been made on the head start pathway. Submissions closed on 9 August 2026.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How are pre-existing Treaty of Waitangi settlement obligations given effect in each signed City and Regional Deal, if at all, and what advice was received on that question before signing?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Treaty settlement obligations would be considered as part of the implementation planning of each City and Regional Deal. Deals are at a high level.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which private sector organisations and which iwi or hapū entities were consulted during the negotiation of each City and Regional Deal, if any, and what records of those meetings are held?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The City and Regional Deals strategic framework encourages local government to engage early with Māori organisations and entities to identify opportunities to partner with Māori, to attract iwi investment, and to use Māori/iwi expertise in…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What is the total dollar value of Crown commitments in each signed City and Regional Deal, and how much of that value was already committed through the National Land Transport Programme or other funding decisions made before the deal was…
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I am advised that NZTA has not committed additional funding to City and Regional Deal components specifically. Existing programmes and projects may be reflected in the Deals where relevant, but this does not create additional NZTA funding…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How much new appropriation, if any, was allocated specifically to City and Regional Deals in Budget 2025 and Budget 2026, and under which Vote and appropriation does it sit?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The budgets for 2025/26 and 2026/27 were $2.958m. Performance information for this appropriation will be reported by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport in its annual report.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice or correspondence has been received from the Auditor-General, the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission or the Treasury, if any, on the design, transparency or value for money of the City and Regional Deals programme?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No advice or correspondence has been received from the Auditor-General, the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission or the Treasury on the design, transparency or value for money of the City and Regional Deals programme.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What performance measures, baselines and reporting requirements, if any, have been set for each signed City and Regional Deal, when will the first public progress report be published, and which agency is responsible for publishing it?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The implementation plans for each deal are to be completed within 6 months of the deal being signed. These will be published once they have gone through appropriate levels of review. These will include how Deal objectives and activities…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What advice has been received on whether a signed City and Regional Deal binds successive governments, and what process would apply if a future government wished to withdraw from one?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
Sections 4.1 and 4.2 of the Deal agreements provide that the Deal will continue in force until: (a) the Implementation Plan has been delivered; (b) the date that is 10 years from the date of this Agreement; or (c) such other date as agreed…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
Which specific clauses of the Auckland Deal and the Western Bay of Plenty Deal are legally binding on the Crown, if any, and what remedy is available to a council if the Crown does not meet a commitment?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The Deals provide Relief to both parties as follows: If at any time it is determined that a party is not performing its obligations under this Agreement, the other party will be relieved of its obligations under this Agreement to the…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What Regulatory Impact Statement, cost-benefit analysis or Treasury advice, if any, was prepared before Cabinet agreed the Regional Deals Strategic Framework?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
No legislative or regulatory change was introduced through the strategic framework. Therefore, no regulatory impact statement was required.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
What estimate, if any, does the Government hold of the total cost incurred by councils in preparing City and Regional Deal proposals and negotiating deals, and what proportion of that cost was met from rates?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
As the Minister of Local Government, neither my office or officials within the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport hold any information about this.
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How many full-time equivalent staff across all government agencies, if any, are currently assigned to the City and Regional Deals programme, and which agency is the lead agency following the establishment of the Ministry for Cities,…
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
The five FTEs who were employed at the Department of Internal Affairs for City and Regional Deals were transferred to the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (the Ministry) from 1 July 2026. Other staff within the…
Asked by
Tangi Utikere
Member for Palmerston North · Labour Party
(matches this search)
How much has the Crown spent on the City and Regional Deals programme since 27 November 2023, broken down by financial year and by departmental salaries, contractors and consultants, external legal advice, and travel?
Answered by
Hon Simon Watts
Member for North Shore · National Party · Minister of Local Government
I am advised by the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport that while the information requested is held, in order to provide a response to this question as asked, it would require significant manual collation and I am not…