May 10, 2020
Council backs Maori rating change
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Auckland Council is supporting the Government’s planned changes to rating Māori land.
Its Māori portfolio head, Angela Dalton, says the proposals align with the council’s existing policies, and the changes should simplify rating of Māori land, including allowing the council to write off past arrears.
The law change will mean no rates will be charged on marae or urupa on Māori freehold land, Māori land which is unused and land subject to Ngā Whenua Rahui conservation covenant.
Residents of papakainga will be given the same access to rate rebates as retirement home residents,
She says Māori land accounts for about 8600 hectares or 0.1 per cent of Auckland’s rating base.
“We do have 57 properties in arrears. I think that is just around the complication of how to rate and where to rate and this bill is going to make it easier to get that single unit rate and be targeted and hold a relationship with the landowner,” Cr Dalton says.
Councillor Angela Dalton.
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