Wellington Mayor Andrew Little calls for referendum on local govt reforms

Wellington Mayor Andrew Little has set a referendum as his preference for how best to handle local government amalgamation, but what is a referendum, and would it be the best way forward?

The clock continues to tick on the government’s amalgamation ultimatum, which in early May gave councils three months to submit reorganisation plans under the ‘Head Start’ approach.

But Little has said the 9 August deadline is not enough time for residents to make a major decision, and now is calling for councils to be allowed to hold referenda on the matter.

Little is the chair of the Wellington Mayoral Forum - a group composed of the mayors of all the councils in Greater Wellington and the Regional Council chair.

People should be allowed to determine the future of their local governments, Little said.

“My starting position is that any change to our local governance arrangements must have public buy-in, and for that public buy-in must be objectively proven.

“Ultimately my preference is for a referendum,” he said.

“That could happen later, but right now the public engagement councils are having is crucial.”

The blueprint for a referendum is already there, as two councils consulted on the issue just last year.

Before the 2025 local body elections, both Hutt City Council and Porirua City Council decided to ask voters on their ballots whether they should explore creating one council for the Hutt Valley, Porirua and Wellington.

In both regions, more people were in support rather than opposed.

Little himself has said he would vote for councils to merge if a referendum was held.

What is a referendum?

Referendums allow people to vote on specific issues, and can be initiated by the government, councils or in some cases, by citizens themselves.

According to the Electoral Commission website, so-called citizens petitions begin when a petitioner submits a proposal to the Clerk of the House of Representatives asking to promote a referendum petition.

The Clerk then invites public input on what the final wording of the petition should be.

This process takes about four months, the website said.

Following that process, the petitioner has 12 months to gather signatures in support of holding a referendum on the question.

If at least 10 percent of registered voters support the referendum petition, a referendum can go ahead at the next general election or as a standalone poll, the commission site said.

A government initiated referendum is promoted by the government, and can be held with a general election, at a stand-alone poll or by postal vote.

New Zealand’s recent referendums

National referendums in recent memory have included the famed flag referenda of 2015 and 2016, and the two referenda held alongside the 2020 general election - one to allow the legalisation of the sale, use and growing of cannabis, and the other to allow voluntary euthanasia under certain conditions.

Of those, only the euthenasia referendum passed.

Local referenda were most recently held at the council elections in 2025 on the question of whether to scrap Māori wards.

Of the 42 councils, 24 voted to remove them, while the remaining 18 voted to keep them.

Little’s call backed by Wellington Ratepayers’ Alliance

The Wellington Ratepayers’ Alliance has backed Little’s referendum call.

“Mayor Little understands both the benefits and the risks that come with amalgamation. The people who pay the bills and live with the consequences deserve the final say,” spokesperson James Ross said in a media release.

He agreed that the government’s timeline was simply not enough time to get the public engagement a proposal like this deserved.

“Ten weeks is no where near long enough to decide the future shape of local democracy in Wellington. Councils across the region should be putting the question directly to ratepayers well before making decisions that cannot easily be undone.”

In a statement, Local Government Minister Simon Watts said how councils choose to consult with their communities within the period provided for Head Start proposals was a decision for councils that wish to put forward a proposal.

“I am confident that councils can meet this timeline. Head Start is a voluntary, streamlined process for councils that have indicated that they are ready and keen to get on with the job.

“The three-month window is for councils to submit high-level outline proposals - if accepted into the Head Start pathway, officials will work with councils to further develop proposals ahead of final decisions in 2027. This timeline allows proposals to be developed, assessed, agreed, and implemented ahead of the 2028 local elections.

“Councils that are not yet ready will instead progress change through the Backstop process, following the 2028 local elections. The government will make decisions on the Backstop in 2027, which will be informed by the experience of the Head Start pathway.”

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