14602 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

Written Question

Published date: 07 Apr 2025

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	14602 (2025)
Question asked:	23 Mar 2025
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister of Local Government
Minister replying:	Hon Simon Watts
Answer received:	01 Apr 2025
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_14602_2025
Document guid:	81415043-8e1f-4d0f-bc4c-6342ed062dc2

14602 (2025). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: Has the Minister sought advice on whether local government debt levels will rise further as a result of the credit downgrades and if not, why not?

Hon Simon Watts: None. The Department of Internal Affairs (the Department) provided advice to my office summarising the S&P credit rating report. This included a statement by the Department noting that council debt is forecast to increase, as disclosed in the latest Long-Term Plans (LTPs), along with the Department’s view that Water Service Organisations are also likely to take on additional borrowing.