Hui for Otago - Local Government reform

Hui for Otago* highlights

• Justin Tipa shared Ngāi Tahu perspectives on the reform process.
• Morrison Low presented their technical analysis of reorganisation options for Otago. The analysis covered planning system alignment, communities of interest, population and economic data, current representation arrangements, and financial benchmarking (including debt, revenue and operating cost comparisons across councils). Morrison Low also presented an assessment of how each option aligns with the Government's stated criteria for local government reform
• The Hui gave the wider group of Otago councillors visibility of the evidence base the Mayoral Forum has been working through, ahead of individual councils considering their positions during July.

*A 'Hui for Otago' is a mechanism under the Otago Local Authorities Triennial Agreement 2026-29, bringing together all of Otago's mayors and councillors on topics of shared interest.