35824 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government

35824 (2026). Tangi Utikere to the Minister of Local Government: What advice, if any, did he receive from the Department of Internal Affairs on the adequacy of a three-month timeframe for councils to develop Head Start amalgamation proposals, and on what date did he receive it?

Hon Simon Watts: Joint Ministers received a range of advice from officials on the trade-offs of a three-month window for outline proposals. As the pathway was designed for councils that are willing and able to reorganise before the next local elections, we were satisfied that three months would be ample time for those councils to develop outline proposals prior to the detailed design phase.