What’s at Stake?

By VUW International Socialists / ISO

Is there any point in voting in local elections? 

Yes! And let’s stay active in other ways too.

Voting won’t fix all the problems we face, nor is current local government a desirable vision for working-class democracy. But it does shape the political terrain for the next three years. 

The purpose of local government is to enable democracy on behalf of communities and to promote their social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being (Local Government Act 2002). But what we are witnessing is the coalition government centralising power and undermining the capability of local government. How can local government structures uphold this stated purpose when democracy is under attack from above?

The coalition is tightening constraints and imposing an agenda on local governments through both legislative adjustments and direct interference: 

At the Local Government New Zealand July 2025 conference, central government representatives communicated a message of council “efficiency”, a need to cut “unnecessary projects”, and a potential cap on council rates. This is despite council representatives saying they are already operating efficiently, focusing on “basics”, and spending their budget on essential services. 

We can see central government interference and control efforts in the appointment of a “Crown Observer” in October 2024 by the minister for Local Government Simeon Brown. Supposedly to ensure “the council is able to function as a governing body”, this observer was appointed after the council voted to retain shares in the Wellington Airport. This was a successful campaign by Unions Wellington, a body of the Council of Trade Unions. 

Another example is the coalition’s 2024 Local Government (Māori Wards) Amendment Bill, one of the many ongoing direct attacks on Māori by National, ACT, and New Zealand First. Māori wards (in councils where they have been established) effectively ensure at least one seat at the table will have been elected by Māori. This Bill is the central government imposing their agenda and disempowering communities through the forced referendum. 

ACT itself has a multi-pronged approach: the party’s 46 local candidates are campaigning to “take race out of local politics“ with a “push back against ideological agendas like co-governance”, “scrapping wasteful spending”, and “lower rates”. Reading between the lines, this means anti-Māori and broader racist politics and prioritising property owners. Considering their millions of dollars in donations, and the devastating effect ACT’s presence in central government is having, this poses a very real threat to local politics across the country.  

It’s important to acknowledge that the fight doesn’t end with defending Māori wards. As is the case with all government institutions under capitalism, simply defending “a seat at the table”, when that table exists to maintain the existing exploitative, racist, and capitalist system - is not enough. By solely voting, right wing and racist agitation will continue, and capitalism will remain in place. So let’s get out and vote—but more importantly, let’s get out and organise. 

This piece has been adapted from “New Zealand's Local Elections: What’s At Stake?” by Serah Allison, an article published in our magazine The Socialist and online at https://iso.org.nz.