REBUILDING TAURANGA, TOGETHER.
YOUR VOICE. OUR FUTURE.

CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW

While we recognise the efforts of the commissioners to promote regional growth, our campaign remains focused on our commitment to address the core issues of process, transparency, and community engagement—essential elements for establishing trust and ensuring effective governance.

Why Your Voice in Lobbying Matters: In New Zealand, unlike in many other democratic nations, the lobbying industry operates with minimal oversight. This means no registration requirements for lobbyists, no public disclosure of lobbying activities, and no records of what is communicated to decision-makers (unless you have the time and know-how to write Official Information Act requests). This lack of transparency allows decisions to be disproportionately influenced by those who can afford to vigorously advocate for their interests, often overshadowing the broader community's needs.

The Impact of Unregulated Lobbying in Tauranga: Our campaign is a response to the alarming trend in Tauranga where key decisions are increasingly shaped by developers, property investors, and the construction industry, resulting in a severe drop in the council’s overall reputation (from their own internal survey) to a mere 21%. This stark reality highlights the urgent need to democratise lobbying so that all community voices can be equally heard and considered.

Who Truly Holds the Influence? The absence of lobbying regulations in New Zealand has led to a one-sided narrative in our governance. Well-funded private interests, through their lobbyists, often provide data and arguments tailored to secure outcomes beneficial to them, not necessarily reflective of the wider community’s interests. It's crucial to address this imbalance to ensure fair and democratic decision-making.

The Imperative for Change: Curious about the bypassed 2022 elections? It's a clear indicator of the need for significant change. Learn more about what happened.

Lobby for Good alongside local ratepayer groups advocated limiting the commissioners to a 'caretaker' role until the July elections. Despite our recommendations, the status quo prevails, and the city’s Long-Term Plan sees financial estimations soaring from $2.2 billion to $4.75 billion, finalised without sufficient public input—highlighting the risks of unchecked, influential decisions.

Hybrid Governance Concerns and Ensuring Integrity: Recent proposals for a 'hybrid' governance model post-elections have raised concerns about governance overreach. Although declined, these proposals show attempts to extend influence beyond appointed terms, emphasising the necessity for vigilant and accountable governance.

The Urgent Need for Action: With Tauranga facing a governance crisis and increasing living costs, the need for a transparent leadership that genuinely engages the community is more apparent than ever. Decisions continue to be made swiftly, often ignoring the substantial economic impacts on residents, including a troubling $1 billion allocated to non-essential projects, averaging a staggering $17,000 per household.

Our Proactive Role: Lobby for Good is a government relations and lobby firm that has become involved to facilitate dialogue, bring community perspectives to the forefront, educate and advocate for residents until democratic processes are restored. Join us in advocating for a lobbying environment that champions transparency and inclusivity.

CAMPAIGN GOALS

Open Records, Rebuild Trust:

Advocate for the public disclosure of records from previous years during the tenure of government-appointed commissioners. This is essential for creating accountability and restoring trust within the community.

Restore Public Confidence:

Rebuilding trust in our local council is essential. We will be offering interactive 'Meet the Candidate' sessions and look forward to receiving your suggestions and feedback on how to make these debates more engaging and accessible, ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Balance the Data, Balance the Debate:

Governments rely on data to make important decisions, but often the data they receive is limited to a narrow set of views, which can skew the overall picture. This lack of comprehensive information means that decisions may not accurately represent everyone's needs, potentially leading to misguided policies and decision making. Our campaign is focused on funding a research team in Tauranga to gather a wide range of perspectives, ensuring decisions are made based on a true and complete understanding of our community. Your support is crucial in helping us achieve a more balanced approach to governance.

Representation until Election:

In this critical transition to election day, we're here to ensure your voice is heard. Our government relations services will bridge the gap between you and the commissioners, keeping a close watch and seeking your input on how best to represent your interests. Your active participation is key to shaping decisions that truly reflect our community's aspirations.

LET'S REBUILD TAURANGA TOGETHER.

Engage, Influence, Transform: Understanding and participating in lobbying is essential for ensuring that all voices, not just those of the affluent, shape our community’s future. By supporting our crowdfunding campaign, you help us continue to bring balance to the lobbying landscape, ensuring your concerns are addressed and your voice leads to fair and democratic outcomes.

Together, we'll ensure your collective voice guides Tauranga towards a more transparent and equitable future.