Simeon Brown

At the same time, Mayor Whanau refuted claims of financial mismanagement at the council, and has accused the government of “punching down”.

Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced he plans to appoint a Crown Observer to Wellington City Council

The flood response in Wairoa will be at the centre of a rapid government review, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds has announced this morning.

The coalition government is pushing to pass a bill allowing local councils to disestablish Māori wards, or to hold polls on whether the ward should be continued.

One mayor called the reversal, "at odds with their own values of fairness and localism."

Government plans for water reform replacement.

“Local government is responsible to its residents and ratepayers and the government has no intention to involve itself in these matters," Simeon Brown says.

But she's looking forward to working with Local Government Minister Simeon Brown, she says.