| Regions | |
| Category: | Unitary state |
| Current Number: | 16 |
| Population Range: | (West Coast) – (Auckland) |
| Area Range: | 172order=flipNaNorder=flip (Nelson) – 17508order=flipNaNorder=flip (Canterbury) |
| Government: | Local government |
| Subdivision: | Territorial authority |
New Zealand is divided into sixteen regions for local government purposes. Eleven are administered by regional councils (the top tier of local government), and five are administered by unitary authorities, which are territorial authorities (otherwise the second tier of local government) that also perform the functions of regional councils.[1] [2] The Chatham Islands Council is not a region but is similar to a unitary authority, authorised under its own legislation.[3]
The regional councils are listed in Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Local Government Act 2002,[4] along with reference to the Gazette notices that established them in 1989.[5] The Act requires regional councils to promote sustainable developmentthe social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being of their communities.[6]
The current regions and most of their councils came into being through a local government reform in 1989 that took place under the Local Government Act 1974. The regional councils replaced the more than 700 ad hoc bodies that had been formed in the preceding century – roads boards, catchment boards, drainage boards, pest control boards, harbour boards, domain and reserve boards.[7] In addition they took over some roles that had previously been performed by county councils.
The boundaries of the regions are based largely on drainage basins.[8] This anticipated the responsibilities of the Resource Management Act 1991.[9] Most regional boundaries conform with territorial authority boundaries but there are a number of exceptions. An example is Taupo District, split between four regions, although most of its area is in the Waikato region.[10] There is often a high degree of co-operation between regional and territorial councils as they have complementary roles.
Regional councils have these specific functions under the Resource Management Act 1991:
Regional councils have responsibility for functions under other statutes;[19]
| Name (name in Māori if different) | Regional council | Seats | Council seat | Island | Land area[21] | Population | Density | ISO 3166-2 Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km2 | sq mi | per km2 | per sq mi | ||||||
| 1 | Northland Maori: Te Tai Tokerau | Northland Regional Council | 9 | Whangārei | North | 12504disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-NTL | |
| 2 | Auckland(1) Maori: Tāmaki-makau-rau | Auckland Council | 21 | Auckland | North | 4941disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-AUK | |
| 3 | Waikato | Waikato Regional Council | 14 | Hamilton | North | 23900disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-WKO | |
| 4 | Bay of Plenty Maori: Te Moana-a-Toi | Bay of Plenty Regional Council | 14 | Whakatāne | North | 12072disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-BOP | |
| 5 | Gisborne(1)(2) Maori: Te Tairāwhiti | Gisborne District Council | 14 | Gisborne | North | 8385disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-GIS | |
| 6 | Hawke's Bay Maori: Te Matau-a-Māui | Hawke's Bay Regional Council | 11 | Napier | North | 14138disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-HKB | |
| 7 | Taranaki | Taranaki Regional Council | 11 | Stratford | North | 7254disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-TKI | |
| 8 | Manawatū-Whanganui | Horizons Regional Council | 12 | Palmerston North | North | 22221disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-MWT | |
| 9 | Wellington Maori: Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara | Greater Wellington Regional Council | 13 | Wellington | North | 8049disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-WGN | |
| 10 | Tasman(1) Maori: Te Tai-o-Aorere | Tasman District Council | 13 | Richmond | South | 9616disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-TAS | |
| 11 | Nelson(1) Maori: Whakatū | Nelson City Council | 13 | Nelson | South | 422disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-NSN | |
| 12 | Marlborough(1) Maori: Te Tauihu-o-te-waka | Marlborough District Council | 14 | Blenheim | South | 10458disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-MBH | |
| 13 | West Coast Maori: Te Tai Poutini | West Coast Regional Council | 7 | Greymouth | South | 23245disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-WTC | |
| 14 | Canterbury Maori: Waitaha | Environment Canterbury | 14 | Christchurch | South | 44504disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-CAN | |
| 15 | Otago Maori: Ōtākou | Otago Regional Council | 12 | Dunedin | South | 31186disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-OTA | |
| 16 | Southland Maori: Murihiku | Southland Regional Council | 12 | Invercargill | South | 31196disp=tableNaNdisp=table | NaN{{#expr:{{formatnum:{{NZ population data 2018 | NZ-STL | |
Notes:
(1) These regions have unitary authorities.
(2) The Gisborne Region is still widely but unofficially known by its former name East Cape or as the East Coast.[22]
Some outlying islands are not included within regional boundaries. The Chatham Islands is not in a region, although its council has some of the powers of a regional council under the Resource Management Act 1991. The Kermadecs and the subantarctic islands are inhabited only by a small number of Department of Conservation staff and there is no regional council for these islands.[23]
Regional councils are popularly elected every three years in accordance with the Local Electoral Act 2001,[24] except for the Canterbury regional council, which is a mixture of elected councillors and government appointed commissioners.[25] Councils may use a first-past-the-post or single transferable vote system. The chairperson is selected by the elected council members.[26]
Regional councils are funded through property rates, subsidies from central government, income from trading, and user charges for certain public services. Councils set their own levels of rates, though the mechanism for collecting it usually involves channelling through the territorial authority collection system.[27]
The Auckland Regional Council (now the Auckland Council) was preceded by the Auckland Regional Authority (ARA), which existed from 1963 to 1989.[28]
The Wellington Regional Council was first formed in 1980 from a merger of the Wellington Regional Planning Authority and the Wellington Regional Water Board.[29]
In 1978, legislation was passed enabling the formation of regions with united councils. Twenty regions were designated, excluding the Auckland and Wellington areas. For most of the country this was the first regional level of government since the abolition of provinces in 1876.Councillors were not elected directly – they were appointed from the various territorial local authorities (TLAs) within the region.
The only responsibilities mandated by the legislation were coordination of civil defence and development of a regional plan, although the constituent TLAs could agree on additional responsibilities at the point of formation of each united council. For example, in a number of cases the united council took responsibility for the allocation of revenue from regional petrol taxes.
The united councils were based in the facilities of the largest TLA in the region and largely dependent on the TLAs for resources. They were allowed to levy rates but in most cases had minimal operating budgets (below $100,000 per annum). The notable exception was Canterbury, where the united council had a number of responsibilities. Only one united council undertook any direct operational activity – a forestry project in Wanganui.
| Northland | January 1980 | $118,000 |
| Thames Valley | July 1980 | $46,000 |
| Waikato | October 1980 | $36,000 |
| Bay of Plenty | August 1979 | $17,000 |
| Tongariro | November 1979 | $50,000 |
| East Cape | August 1979 | $16,000 |
| Hawke's Bay | December 1983 | – |
| Taranaki | February 1979 | $60,000 |
| Wanganui | May 1979 | $81,000 |
| Wairarapa | November 1978 | $33,000 |
| Manawatu | May 1981 | 0 |
| Horowhenua | June 1980 | $47,000 |
| Nelson Bays | November 1978 | $84,000 |
| Marlborough | December 1978 | $30,000 |
| Canterbury | May 1979 | $605,000 |
| West Coast | November 1978 | $32,000 |
| Aorangi | 1983 | – |
| Coastal / North Otago | April 1983 | – |
| Clutha / Central Otago | November 1980 | $33,000 |
| Southland | May 1979 | $88,000 |