29894 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

Written Question

Published date: 13 Jul 2026

Metadata

Document type:	Written Question
Parliament number:	54
Question number:	29894 (2026)
Question asked:	28 Jun 2026
Member asking:	Tangi Utikere
Portfolio:	Minister of Local Government
Minister replying:	Hon Simon Watts
Answer received:	06 Jul 2026
Status:	Question Answered
Reply type:	Reply
Document ID:	WQ_29894_2026
Document guid:	4fdc00e1-ee85-4e7a-8c9c-44d45a0729f1

29894 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: When did the Minister decide to abandon his March 2025 direction to officials to transfer responsibility for local elections to the Electoral Commission by 2028, who was consulted before that decision was made, and was Cabinet informed?

Hon Simon Watts: As Minister of Local Government, I decided in March 2026 that electoral reform was not a priority relative to other priority work in the portfolio to be completed this term. I consulted with Minister of Justice Hon Paul Goldsmith.