Poll: What could the Christchurch City Council fund if it didn't have to pay GST on rates?

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

Christchurch mayor Phil Mauger says GST on rates, currently taken by central government, would be better spent locally.

The comments follow an Infometrics analysis that found over $1.1 billion of rates revenue nationwide was collected by the Government in 2022 as GST.

According to Infometrics, $88.5m of that came from Christchurch city ratepayers. It would be enough to save the Christ Church Cathedral from ruin; restore the Dux de Lux seven times over; cover both the Art Centre and Orana Wildlife Park’s request for regular public funding for over 26 years; contribute to light rail in Greater Christchurch; or get the South Library rebuild completed.

Read the full story by reporter Sinead Gill here and share your thoughts in the comments below. (Note: Subscription required. You can still read two free stories a month if you're not a ThePress.co.nz subscriber).

What could the Christchurch City Council fund if it didn't have to pay GST on rates?

• Light rail
• South Library
• Orana Wildlife Park
• The Arts Centre
• Dux de Lux
• Christ Church Cathedral
• Something else (share your thoughts in the comments)

Vote View Results

• 21.1% Light rail
  21.1% Complete
• 5.4% South Library
  5.4% Complete
• 42.2% Orana Wildlife Park
  42.2% Complete
• 10.9% The Arts Centre
  10.9% Complete
• 3.4% Dux de Lux
  3.4% Complete
• 12.2% Christ Church Cathedral
  12.2% Complete
• 4.8% Something else (share your thoughts in the comments)
  4.8% Complete

147 votes

Beverley Park Rose Garden theft

Maeve from Linwood

Beware everyone if you see some cheap rose bunches for sale anywhere I just saw two white men (one with a matching blue tracksuit) cutting and bagging up every single rose in the Beverley Park Rose garden and hopping on some electric bikes and taking off.

A damn shame everyone isn’t able to enjoy the roses now and a few selfish people have taken it upon themselves to ruin it for everyone.

Do not buy any cheap roses you see for sale, they are stolen.

To those men, I hope your wives and mothers know their Mother’s Day roses are stolen. Shame on you for ruining it for the rest of us.

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