close
MENU
How to guide
How to guide
Home
NBR Marketplace
The NBR List
NBR Video

Categories

General Business Investment Economics Te Ao Māori Politics Infrastructure Australia Tech & Innovation Finance Law Professional Services Primary Industries Retail Property Deals Marketing & Media Tourism Energy Luxury Property Aviation News Comings & Goings

Analysis

All Economy Matters Edwards on Politics Hunter’s Corner Last Word Margin Call On the Money Shoeshine Underarm NBR Focus

Featured

The NBR Podcast Morning Brew The Grind Entrepreneurs Your Business Beehive Banter Toil & Trouble Market Outlook Dollars & Sense Local Edge Private Bin Audio Articles Podcasts NZ Aviation News Back Issues NBR Radar (Archive) Opinion (Archive) NBR Rich List (Archive)
NBR Focus
8 mins to read

Why business should care about local body elections

This week, NBR is shining a light on local government, to help get you up to speed ahead of the October local body elections.

WATCH: BusinessNZ CEO Katherine Rich speaks with Brent Edwards.

Brent Edwards Mon, 12 May 2025

For some reason, local body elections do not fire up the same enthusiasm as general elections.

While turnout in the 2023 general election was 77.51% – still lower than many would want – for the 2022 local body elections voter turnout was only 42%, down from 57% in 1989. After falling over a few

Want to read more? It's easy.

Choose your best value subscription option

Student

Exclusive FREE offer for uni students studying at a New Zealand university (valued at $499).
View terms and conditions.
Individual
Group membership
NBR Marketplace

Smartphone Only Subscription

NZ$29.95 / monthly

Monthly Premium Online Subscription

NZ$49.95 / monthly

Smartphone Only Annual Subscription

NZ$299.00 / yearly

Yearly Premium Online Subscription

NZ$499.00 / yearly

Premium Group Membership 10 Users

NZ$385+GST / monthly

$38.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 20 Users

NZ$660+GST / monthly

$33 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 50 Users

NZ$1375+GST / monthly

$27.5 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Premium Group Membership 100 Users

NZ$2100+GST / monthly

$21 per user - Pay by monthly credit card debit

Yearly Premium Online Subscription + NBR Marketplace

NZ$999.00 / yearly

Already have an account? Login
Brent Edwards Mon, 12 May 2025
Contact the Writer: brent@nbr.co.nz
News tip? Question? Typo? Let us know: editor@nbr.co.nz
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Tags
local body elections local government rates and spending Business voting voter turnout Katherine Rich BusinessNZ Simon Arcus Wellington Chamber of Commerce Tory Whanau Celia Wade-Brown

Free News Alerts

Sign up to get the latest stories and insights delivered to your inbox – free, every day.

I’m already subscribed/joined
Related News
General Business
1

Auckland super city’s report card at 15: more work to do
Politics
1

Criticism of Government’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to water
Politics
3

Government’s water reforms will not improve council debt
Infrastructure
2

S&P’s uncertainty about Local Water Done Well
Politics
4

Law change to force councils to focus on the basics

Free News Alerts

Sign up to get the latest stories and insights delivered to your inbox – free, every day.

I’m already subscribed/joined
Related News
General Business
1

Auckland super city’s report card at 15: more work to do
Politics
1

Criticism of Government’s ‘one size fits all’ approach to water
Politics
3

Government’s water reforms will not improve council debt
Infrastructure
2

S&P’s uncertainty about Local Water Done Well
Politics
4

Law change to force councils to focus on the basics
Why business should care about local body elections
NBR Focus,
108962
true
Subscribe Login