The government is proposing changes to simplify how local government works across New Zealand. This is one of the most significant potential changes to local government in decades and could shape how councils operate in the future.
Kaipara District Council is working through what this might mean for our district. No decisions have been made.
What has the government announced?
The government has announced it wants fewer local authorities across New Zealand and is asking local and regional councils to consider the amalgamation of district councils and regional councils into unitary authorities.
These unitary authorities would combine the functions of local councils with those from regional councils, such as Northland Regional Council. The government has stated its preference for one unitary authority per region, however there are allowances for regions that are large or have more complex issues.
The government is giving councils a three-month window to propose the new arrangements themselves under the ‘Head Start’ pathway, and has stated if councils cannot do this, then the government itself will propose amalgamations under a ‘backstop’ approach.
Read the Head Start pathway document (pdf 818KB)
Whether councils use the Head Start pathway or not, approval will be required from government before any work commences on the amalgamation of district and regional councils.
Government’s proposal focuses on simplifying the current system, where regional councils and district/city councils operate alongside each other.
No final decisions have been made by the government. Feedback from councils and communities will inform the next steps.
- Morrison Low Comparison of Head Start options (PDF)
- Simplifying Local Government for Northland – Survey and Community Feedback Report (PDF)
Timeline
The reform process is moving at pace, with several key stages:
- May 2026
Government announces a voluntary ‘Head Start’ pathway approach - June 2026
Surveys across all four Northland councils - Mid–2026
Councils consider options and may develop initial proposals and options (Head Start process) - 9 August 2026
Early proposals for reorganisation submitted to government - 2027
Government considers proposals and makes decisions - Post-2028 elections
Wider reforms may be implemented if required through the ‘backstop’ process.
News
- Staged path to single Northland council emerges as preferred option (8 July 2026)
- Northland communities have their say on the future of local government (3 July 2026)
- Shape Northland's future - local government surveys now open (17 June 2026)
- Northland councils welcome Kaipara District Council to regional reform process (28 May 2026)
- Kaipara District Council joins regional steering group for local government reform (27 May 2026)
What is a local government reform and why is it happening in Northland?
The government has signalled that New Zealand's current system of regional and district councils creates duplication and inefficiency and needs to change. It has invited councils to develop their own proposals for reorganisation into simpler, more effective local government structures.
Why is this important?
This is a once in a generation change to local government that will shape how Northland communities are served, represented, and heard for decades to come.
What does this mean for regional councillors?
Our current regional council governance arrangements will remain in place until October 2028.
Future changes will not include regional councillors and may result in new local government structures such as unitary authorities.
Has Kaipara District Council made a decision?
No. Council has not made any decisions about possible amalgamation. At the 27 May council meeting elected members agreed to join a regional working group with Whangarei District Council and Far North District Council, and Northland Regional Council.
The Local Government Reform Elected Member Steering Group includes:
Mayor Ken Couper, Councillors Christie and Flower (Whangarei District Council)
Chair Pita Tipene, Councillors Craw and Crawford (Northland Regional Council)
Mayor Moko Tepania, Councillors Stratford and Foy (Far North District Council)
Mayor Jonathan Larsen, Deputy Mayor Lambeth and Councillor Jepson (Kaipara District Council)
The Northland leaders will continue to work collaboratively and constructively with the government through the Head Start pathway, with a focus on practical, locally grounded reform that delivers better outcomes for Northlanders.
What is the Head Start for Simplifying Local Government pathway?
The Head Start pathway is a voluntary option provided by government that gives councils the opportunity to develop locally-led proposals for local government reorganisation.
Why is this happening so fast?
The government announced the Head Start pathway in May and set a three-month window for councils to submit proposals. Participating in the Head Start pathway would give Northland the opportunity to shape our own future, rather than waiting for a centrally-led backstop process after the 2028 local elections, where change would be directed by government rather than led locally.
Who decided to do this - central government or local councils?
Both. The government announced the Head Start pathway and set the timeframe and criteria, but participating in it is voluntary. All four Northland councils have formally confirmed their participation in the Head Start pathway.
What is a unitary authority and how is it different from what we have now?
Currently Northland has four separate councils – three district councils responsible for local services and planning, and one regional council responsible for environmental management, regional transport, and civil defence. A unitary authority combines both into a single organisation, responsible for both local and regional functions.
Do all three councils need to agree for a proposal to be submitted?
No. Under the Head Start pathway, two or more of Northland's district councils can submit a proposal together, provided they represent a majority of the population across the affected area. Regional councils cannot submit proposals under the Head Start pathway.
Who gets to decide what the final proposal looks like?
The Local Government Reform Elected Member Steering Group, made up of elected members from all four Northland councils, identified a preferred option which now goes to each council to vote on during the week beginning 13 July. An outline proposal will now be developed for the preferred option. Councils will then make a final decision on whether to submit it in early August, ahead of the 9 August Government deadline.
What options were considered for Northland's future local government?
Four options were assessed: a single Northland-wide unitary authority, a single unitary authority with community councils, two unitary authorities, and a staged transition model beginning with two unitary authorities and moving to a single unitary authority over time. The Elected Member Steering Group has identified the staged transition as its preferred option, with each council now considering whether to support it.
Have any decisions been made on what the proposal could look like?
The Elected Member Steering Group has identified a preferred option – a staged transition beginning with two unitary authorities, with the goal of moving to a single Northland-wide unitary authority over time. This is not a final decision. Each of the four councils will now consider and vote on whether to support this option during the week beginning 13 July.
What will happen to existing Treaty of Waitangi settlement arrangements?
Treaty settlement arrangements will continue to be upheld. Our proposal must demonstrate how existing settlement arrangements would be transferred to a new unitary authority with the same effect. The government has also committed to working directly with post-settlement governance entities on any proposed arrangements.
What did the surveys find?
More than 2,300 Northland residents responded to surveys run by the four councils in May and June – Whangarei District Council received 673 responses, Far North District Council received 1,083 across two surveys, Kaipara District Council received 263, and Northland Regional Council received 286. This was one of the strongest community response rates seen in the region for a local government engagement exercise of this kind.
Across the three district councils that asked about structural preferences, more people supported some form of two-council arrangement than a single council covering all of Northland, though respondents did not agree on which two councils should pair up.
The clearest finding was not about which structure communities preferred, but about the conditions any new model must meet. Communities want to see costs kept affordable, local voice genuinely protected – particularly for smaller, rural, and remote communities – environmental stewardship maintained, and the transition carefully managed. Relationships with hapū and iwi will also require careful consideration.
