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Summarised by Centrist
A new Taxpayers’ Union-Curia poll shows overwhelming public support for a law to cap annual local council rate hikes, with 64 percent of voters in favour and just 22 percent opposed.
Support crossed every political, regional, gender, and age demographic, including a majority of Labour, Green, and Te Pāti Māori voters.
Asked whether they supported the government introducing a rates cap law, voters backed the idea by a margin of nearly 3:1.
Net support was strongest among New Zealand First voters (+65 percent), followed by National (+61), undecideds (+48), ACT (+38), Greens (+37), Labour (+22), and Te Pāti Māori (+19).
Taxpayers’ Union spokesman James Ross said the numbers show a clear mandate.
“The government might be backing rates caps, but it’s time for all parties to get on board,” he said. “There’s no votes to be won by playing partisan games when Kiwis want a solution that will stick.”
He tied the surge in support to rising household costs: “With the average rates bill spiralling 34 percent in just three years, people don’t just want rates caps — they want them now.”
Ross also argued that local government spending is fuelling the cost-of-living crisis. “Rates hikes are the single largest contributor,” he said. “Voters of all stripes want to see an end to the gravy train.”
