Territorial authorities of New Zealand

Territorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 73 territorial authorities: 16 city councils, 56 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council. Five territorial authorities (Nelson City Council, Gisborne, Tasman, and Marlborough District Councils and the Chatham Islands Council) also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities. Territorial authority districts are not subdivisions of regions, and some of them fall within more than one region. Taupo District has the distinction of straddling the boundaries of four different regions (see below). Regional council areas are based on water catchment areas, whereas territorial authorities are based on community of interest and road access. Regional councils are responsible for the administration of many environmental and public transport matters, while the territorial authorities administer local roading and reserves, sewerage, building consents, the land use and subdivision aspects of resource management, and other local matters. Some activities are delegated to council-controlled trading organisations.

Territorial authorities

North Island

Name	Seat	Area (km2)	Population	Density (/km2)	Region(s)	Notes
Far North District	Kaikohe	7,505	67,200	8.95	Northland
Whangarei District	Whangarei	3,314	93,700	28.27	Northland
Kaipara District	Dargaville	3,122	23,600	7.56	Northland
Rodney District	Orewa	2,497			Auckland	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Auckland City	Auckland	1,059			Auckland	Includes Waiheke Island, Great Barrier Island and most other islands of the Hauraki Gulf. To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
North Shore City	Takapuna	130			Auckland	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Waitakere City	Henderson	367			Auckland	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Manukau City	Manukau	551			Auckland	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Papakura District	Papakura	123			Auckland	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Franklin District	Pukekohe	2,190			Waikato (60.18%) Auckland (39.82%)	To be replaced with a new Auckland territorial authority and the Waikato District in 2010.
Thames-Coromandel District	Thames	3,193	30,800	9.65	Waikato
Hauraki District	Paeroa	1,186	20,600	17.37	Waikato
Waikato District	Ngaruawahia	3,189	77,800	24.40	Waikato	Will include part of current Franklin District on creation of a new Auckland territorial authority in 2010.
Matamata-Piako District	Matamata	1,755	35,500	20.23	Waikato
Hamilton City	Hamilton	94	165,900	1,764.89	Waikato
Waipa District	Te Awamutu	1,473	54,800	37.20	Waikato
South Waikato District	Tokoroa	1,814	24,800	13.67	Waikato
Otorohanga District	Otorohanga	2,063	10,400	5.04	Waikato
Waitomo District	Te Kuiti	3,551	9,570	2.70	Waikato (94.87%) Manawatu-Wanganui (5.13%)
Taupo District	Taupo	6,955	38,300	5.51	Waikato (73.74%) Bay of Plenty (14.31%) Hawke's Bay (11.26%) Manawatu-Wanganui (0.69%)
Western Bay of Plenty District	Greerton, Tauranga City	2,120	52,900	24.95	Bay of Plenty
Tauranga City	Tauranga	168	140,800	838.10	Bay of Plenty
Opotiki District	Opotiki	3,098	9,560	3.09	Bay of Plenty
Whakatane District	Whakatane	4,441	36,800	8.29	Bay of Plenty
Rotorua District	Rotorua	2,614	74,000	28.31	Bay of Plenty (61.52%) Waikato (38.48%)
Kawerau District	Kawerau	22	7,370	335.00	Bay of Plenty
Gisborne District	Gisborne	8,351	48,900	5.86	Unitary authority
Wairoa District	Wairoa	4,124	8,630	2.09	Hawke's Bay
Hastings District	Hastings	5,218	84,000	16.10	Hawke's Bay
Napier City	Napier	106	64,100	604.72	Hawke's Bay
Central Hawke's Bay District	Waipawa	3,324	14,550	4.38	Hawke's Bay
New Plymouth District	New Plymouth	2,225	83,100	37.35	Taranaki
Stratford District	Stratford	2,161	9,750	4.51	Taranaki (68.13%) Manawatu-Wanganui (31.87%)
South Taranaki District	Hawera	3,577	28,300	7.91	Taranaki
Ruapehu District	Taumarunui	6,730	12,650	1.88	Manawatu-Wanganui
Rangitikei District	Marton	4,476	15,500	3.46	Manawatu-Wanganui (86.37%) Hawke's Bay (13.63%)
Wanganui District	Wanganui	2,372			Manawatu-Wanganui
Manawatu District	Feilding	2,628	31,100	11.83	Manawatu-Wanganui
Palmerston North City	Palmerston North	337	87,300	259.05	Manawatu-Wanganui
Tararua District	Dannevirke	4,367	18,500	4.24	Manawatu-Wanganui (98.42%) Wellington (1.58%)
Horowhenua District	Levin	1,066	34,300	32.18	Manawatu-Wanganui
Masterton District	Masterton	2,298	26,300	11.44	Wellington
Kapiti Coast District	Paraparaumu	733	55,300	75.44	Wellington
Carterton District	Carterton	1,181	9,480	8.03	Wellington
South Wairarapa District	Martinborough	2,452	10,900	4.45	Wellington
Upper Hutt City	Upper Hutt	542	45,300	83.58	Wellington
Porirua City	Porirua	182	58,200	319.78	Wellington
Hutt City	Lower Hutt	377	107,600	285.41	Wellington
Wellington City	Wellington	289	209,000	723.18	Wellington

• ^ Population as of June 2018.

2010 changes

In November 2010, Auckland, Waitakere, North Shore and Manukau cities, along with Rodney and Papakura districts and the Auckland Region part of Franklin District, will merge to form the new Auckland unitary territorial authority headed by the Auckland Council, and the Waikato part of Franklin District will merge with the Waikato District.

Name	Seat	Area (km2)	Population	Density (/km2)	Region(s)	Notes
Auckland	Auckland CBD	5,600	1,618,400	37.32	Auckland
Waikato District	Ngaruawahia	4,506		17.27	Waikato

South Island

Name	Seat	Area (km2)	Population	Density (per km2)	Region(s)	Notes
Tasman District	Richmond	9,786	54,000	5.52	unitary authority
Nelson City	Nelson	445	52,400	117.75	unitary authority
Marlborough District	Blenheim	12,484	48,800	3.91	unitary authority
Buller District	Westport	7,950	9,880	1.24	West Coast
Grey District	Greymouth	3,516	13,750	3.91	West Coast
Westland District	Hokitika	11,870	8,900	0.75	West Coast
Kaikoura District	Kaikoura	2,050	4,030	1.97	Canterbury
Hurunui District	Amberley	8,661	12,950	1.50	Canterbury
Selwyn District	Rolleston	6,557	62,300	9.50	Canterbury
Waimakariri District	Rangiora	2,216	61,300	27.66	Canterbury
Christchurch City	Christchurch	1,610	380,200	236.15	Canterbury
Ashburton District	Ashburton	6,208	34,400	5.54	Canterbury
Mackenzie District	Fairlie	7,442	5,010	0.67	Canterbury
Timaru District	Timaru	2,726	47,700	17.50	Canterbury
Waimate District	Waimate	3,577	8,050	2.25	Canterbury
Waitaki District	Oamaru	7,212	23,000	3.19	Canterbury (59.61%) Otago (40.39%)
Queenstown-Lakes District	Queenstown	9,368	40,200	4.29	Otago
Central Otago District	Alexandra	9,966	22,200	2.23	Otago
Dunedin City	Dunedin	3,340	130,500	39.07	Otago
Clutha District	Balclutha	6,406	18,200	2.84	Otago
Southland District	Invercargill	32,605	31,800	0.98	Southland	Includes Stewart Island/Rakiura (see below) and Solander Islands.
Gore District	Gore	1,251	12,750	10.19	Southland
Invercargill City	Invercargill	491	55,800	113.65	Southland

• ^ Population as of June 2018.
• ^ Total of Christchurch City and Banks Peninsula areas.
• ^ Includes Stewart Island, also listed separately below.

Stewart Island/Rakiura

Name	Seat	Area (km2)	Population	Region
Southland District	Invercargill, South Island	1746	402	Southland

Chatham Islands

• Chatham Islands Council ("Territory")

Other islands

There are a number of islands where the Minister of Local Government is the territorial authority, two of which have a 'permanent population and/or permanent buildings and structures.' The main islands are listed below (population according to 2001 census in parenthesis):

• Mayor Island/Tuhua (3)
• Motiti Island (30)
• Whakaari/White Island
• Moutohora Island
• Bare Island

In addition, seven of the nine groups of the New Zealand Outlying Islands are outside of any territorial authority:

• Kermadec Islands (3)
• Three Kings Islands
• Bounty Islands
• The Snares
• Antipodes Islands
• Auckland Islands
• Campbell Islands

Map of New Zealand territorial authorities. Cities are bolded and capitalised. Regions are indicated with colours.

1989 local government reforms

For many decades until the local government reforms of 1989, a borough with more than 20,000 people could be proclaimed a city. The boundaries of councils tended to follow the edge of the built-up area, so little distinction was made between the urban area and the local government area.

New Zealand’s local government structural arrangements were significantly reformed in 1989 when approximately 700 councils and special purpose bodies were amalgamated to create 87 new local authorities. Regional councils were reduced in number from 20 to 13, territorial authorities (city/district councils) from 200 to 75, and special purpose bodies from over 400 to 7. The new district and city councils were generally much larger and most covered substantial areas of both urban and rural land. Many places that once had a city council were now being administered by a district council.

As a result, the term "city" began to take on two meanings.

The word "city" came to be used in a less formal sense to describe major urban areas independent of local body boundaries. This informal usage is jealously guarded. Gisborne, for example, adamantly described itself as the first city in the world to see the new millennium. Gisborne is administered by a district council, but its status as a city is not generally disputed.

Under the current law the minimum population for a new city is 50,000.

Changes since 1989

Since the 1989 reorganisations conducted by the Local Government Commission, there have been few major reorganisations or status changes in local government. Incomplete list:

• 1991: Invercargill re-proclaimed a city.
• 1992: (by a Local Government Amendment Act) Abolition of Nelson-Marlborough Regional Council– Kaikoura District was transferred to the Canterbury Region, and Nelson City and Tasman and Marlborough districts became unitary authorities.
• 1995: The Chatham Islands County was dissolved and reconstituted, by a specific Act of Parliament, as the "Chatham Islands Territory" with powers similar to those of territorial authorities and some functions similar to those of a regional council.
• 2004: Tauranga became a city again on 1 March.
• 2006: Banks Peninsula District merged into Christchurch City as a result of 2005 referendum.

Reports on completed reorganisation proposals since 1999 are available on the Local Government Commission's site (link below).

2007–2009 Royal Commission on Auckland Governance

On 26 March 2009, the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommended Rodney, North Shore, Waitakere, Auckland City, Manukau, Papakura, Franklin, and Auckland Regional Councils be abolished and the entire Auckland region to be amalgamated into one "supercity". The area would consist of one city council (with statutory provision for three Maori councillors), four urban local councils, and two rural local councils:

• Rodney local council would lose Orewa, Dairy Flat, and Whangaparaoa but retain the remainder of the current Rodney District. The split areas as well as the current North Shore City would form a Waitemata local council.
• Waitakere local council would consist of the current Waitakere City as well as the Avondale area.
• Tamaki Makaurau would consist of the current Auckland City and Otahuhu (excluding CBD)
• Manukau local council would consist of the urban parts of the current Manukau City and of the Papakura District.
• Hunua local council would consist of the entire Franklin District, much of which is currently in the Waikato Region, along with rural areas of the current Papakura District and Manukau City.
• The entire Papakura District would be dissolved between urban and rural councils.

Central Government response

The National-led Government responded within about a week. Its proposal, which will go to a Select Committee, has the supercity and many community boards but no local councils and for the first election no separate seats for Maori.

Public response

Public reaction to the Royal Commission report has been mixed, especially in regards to the Government's amended proposal. Auckland Mayor John Banks supports the amended merger plans. [6]

Criticism of the amended proposal has come largely from residents in Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore Cities. [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] In addition, Maori Affairs Minister Pita Sharples spoke against the exclusion of the Maori seats, as recommended by the Royal Commission. [14] [15] Opposition Leader Phil Goff has called for a referendum on the issue. [16]

See also

• List of cities in New Zealand
• List of former territorial authorities in New Zealand
• Local Government Act 1974 (NZ)
• Local Government Act 2002 (New Zealand)
• Local Government New Zealand
• Regions of New Zealand

External links and sources

• Local Councils website (maintained by the Department of Internal Affairs)
• Local Government Services at the Department of Internal Affairs site (includes the Local Government Directory at the bottom of the page)
  • Administration of Offshore Islands
• Local Government Commission site
• Local Government Online Limited site (portal site owned by the Society of Local Government Managers and the Association of Local Government Information Management)
• Local Government New Zealand region and district boundaries– North Island
• Local Government New Zealand region and district boundaries– South Island
• Statistics New Zealand clickable map for local body and area unit detail over all NZ