The Coalition Government plans to place a Crown Observer on the Wellington City Council as it rewrites its long term plan following a vote to retain its stake in the city's airport. The Department of Internal Affairs has advised Brown the Council was not using its balance sheet “appropriately” when planning its water infrastructure and insurance risks. This appears to mean the Crown Observer will be tasked with advocating for the Council to take on higher debt levels, although Brown was not clear on whether that would be the case. Council respondsWhanau said she was happy to work with a Crown Observer and that it could be a good thing for the council. Tim Brown had a long career as an infrastructure investor at Morrison, which manages Infratil, prior to standing for Wellington Council in 2022.

Source: New Zealand Herald October 22, 2024 14:22 UTC