Local councillors make decisions that affect your rates, roads, water, and the future of your community. They rely on feedback from residents to understand what is really happening on the ground. If people stay silent, decisions get made without that local input. Speaking up, asking questions, and sharing ideas helps shape better outcomes and keeps council accountable. It does not take much—an email, a meeting, or a submission can influence real change. When more people engage, the council makes more

The text below is that of myself John Funnell, not necessarily that of the Taupo District Councillors. Trump’s war has dramatically increased fuel prices, which is having a ripple effect across the economy. Ratepayers will be worried that increased fuel costs will lead to increased consumer costs. When these increased costs are added to the increased rate costs, it will be a financial challenge that many residents cannot afford. I have requested the council CEO to act like all Taupo

25th April 2026 Good morning, I am Mayor John Funnell and I welcome each and every one of you here today.  We are honoured to have:  Today, on ANZAC Day, we pause together to remember. We remember those who served, those who sacrificed, and those who never returned. We honour their courage, their solidarity, and their enduring legacy. Each year, ANZAC Day invites us not only to reflect on history, but to connect it to the lives we lead today and

As your Mayor, I want to provide an update on the Draft Joint Management Agreement (JMA) currently being presented to Council, so that all residents of the Taupo district understand its meaning and intent.  My position is straightforward: I support the legal requirement to partner with the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board to protect the health of the Waikato River. This is an environmental and statutory mandatory duty that I would be prepared to sign with support from the councillors and

Travelling across the district I meet a lot of people who are still struggling with the cost of living and their rates. When I mention the Rates Rebate scheme many people are unaware of this. If your income or pension is below a certain level whether you have a Super Gold Card or not, you may be eligible for a rebate, which can be significant. This also applies for people living in retirement villages, in units or assisted care. Applications

The Minister for RMA Reform, Minister of Agriculture, and Minister for the Environment have set clear expectations to all Regional and Unitary Councils to take a pragmatic approach when issuing consents, ahead of the transition to the new planning system. “Ministers continue to receive concerning reports of councils across the country applying stringent, unnecessary, and burdensome requirements when issuing new consents, particularly for our farmers and growers,” Mr Bishop says. “Our country relies on our rural producers. At a time

I have been talking to a few people around the district and a lot of people I meet do not have a Facebook account but would like to see some of the videos we have published. Head over to my YouTube account for all videos.

Residents and Ratepayers of the Taupo District should be reading this draft Joint Management Agreement. I have attached a full version at the end of this article. This agreement has been introduced by the Taupo District Council and was to be voted on at the end of July, without any input from the residents of our district, to be in force forever without the right to be terminated. I would urge you to read what the actual agreement says, think

Your climate change and resilience policies 1. First policy Leave climate change to the central government.  It is a central government’s responsibility. I will not be virtue signalling with “climate emergencies” or wasting ratepayers money on policies that make no difference at all.  2. Second policy Ensure that our emergency management staff are adequately trained & resourced in the event of a natural disaster. 3. Third policy Get rates rises & council debt under control so we have headroom to

John has a long career in the private sector of finding cost savings while providing value to customers and he will do this with the Council. If elected John will propose capping rates to or below the rate of inflation as his first action as Mayor. Currently inflation as measured by CPI is running at 2.1% year to date, with the latest rate rises in our district at 8.3%. That’s 295.24% above inflation. If 8.3% rate rises continue as they