Colin Ambler/cvnznews.com
Veteran broadcaster turned ACT Party candidate Paul Henry says there is one portfolio he would gladly take if elected to government: Local Government.
And he is not being subtle about why.
“If there’s any group that could teach central government how to waste money, it’s local government,” Henry said, taking direct aim at councils he believes have lost sight of their core responsibilities and become addicted to spending.
The high-profile candidate, who sits fourth on ACT’s party list and is virtually guaranteed a seat in Parliament, says his return to public life is driven by frustration over the direction New Zealand has taken.
Henry argues the country has drifted away from the prosperity and ambition that once made it an international success story. Instead, he believes excessive regulation, growing government debt and layers of bureaucracy are holding the nation back from achieving its potential.
For Henry, local councils are a prime example of the problem.
He says ratepayers are increasingly being asked to fund expensive projects, expanding bureaucracies and grand visions while many households struggle with rising living costs. If given responsibility for the portfolio, he wants greater accountability, tighter financial discipline and a renewed focus on essential services.
The former Breakfast host says the challenge facing New Zealand is larger than local government alone. He believes governments at all levels need to spend less, tax less and get out of the way of businesses and entrepreneurs.
“We’ve got to stop wasting taxpayers’ money on government. Get out of people’s way, and give the private sector the opportunity to grow the economy,” he said.
Henry insists his political ambitions are not about launching a long-term political career. Instead, he says he entered the race because he wants to help leave a stronger country for his children and grandchildren.
A familiar and often controversial voice in New Zealand public life, Henry has built a reputation for saying what others will not. Now he wants to bring that same blunt approach to politics.
And if ACT enters government after the election, local councils could find themselves firmly in his sights.
For ratepayers weary of rising bills and expanding council budgets, Henry’s message is simple: the era of unchecked spending should be over.
