Development Contributions Commissioners 2026

The purpose of the Expressions of Interest (EOI) process is to gauge the level of interest in the vacant Commissioner positions in advance of the formal appointments process. The level of interest will help inform how the formal appointments process is run. It will also allow us to establish a list of interested persons to contact when the formal appointments process begins.

About the role

Development Contributions Commissioners decide on objections lodged against territorial authorities' decisions on development contributions.

Development contributions help councils recover a fair, equitable and proportionate share of the cost of infrastructure needed to support growth, making the commissioners’ work important to both councils and the development sector.

Commissioners independently determine objections to development contributions imposed by councils. The role involves considering the grounds of an objection, relevant evidence and council policy, seeking further information where necessary, conducting hearings where required, and reaching a reasoned decision determining the objection.

The territorial authority that receives an objection is responsible for appointing commissioners to decide the objection. Depending on the objection, between one and three commissioners may be selected from the register to hear and decide the matter. 

Appointment to the role

Development Contributions Commissioners are appointed by the Minister under the Local Government Act (2002). One to three commissioners can be selected to hear an objection.

Commissioners are appointed for an initial term of three years and may be reappointed.

Commissioners are reimbursed for actual and reasonable expenses in carrying out their duties while they are engaged by a territorial authority. Remuneration is administered by the territorial authority in charge of the objection hearing. The Register is not subject to the requirements of the Cabinet Fees Framework.

Skills and attributes required

The key selection criteria under section 199F of the Local Government Act are:

• knowledge and experience in adjudication and mediation, including the conduct of hearings or inquiries
• knowledge, skills and experience relevant to the subject matter likely to arise in an objection
• knowledge of tikanga Māori.

Knowledge and experience relevant to the key selection criteria include:

• previous experience as a Development Contributions Commissioner
• experience as a Resource Management Act 1991 hearings commissioner or chair
• development contributions knowledge
• skills or experience in arbitration
• knowledge of Te Ao Māori
• engineering or infrastructure experience or knowledge (including transport, wastewater, housing development)
• legal experience or knowledge
• economics experience or knowledge
• local government planning experience or knowledge.

Appointments process

The Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT) intends to begin the formal appointments process in early 2027. An indicative timeline for formal appointments process is:

• Nominations open in February 2027.
• Interviews start in April/May 2027.
• Formal appointments made May 2027.
• Newly appointed or reappointed Commissioners begin on 1 July 2027. 

Upcoming Reform - Development contributions to development levies

The Government is proposing to replace the existing development contributions regime with a new development levies system.

At this stage it is intended that new Commissioners added to the register through this round of appointments continue serving until the disestablishment of the development contributions regime and will hear and decide on development contributions objections only.  The exact timing of this is yet to be determined and may extend past the initial three-year term.

Next steps for expressing interest

People who are interested in the positions should submit a short EOI to: Development.Contributions@MCERT.govt.nz.

The submission should include a brief description of your experience and sector knowledge, and current role. We are asking for this information only to help us understand how many suitably qualified people may be interested in applying. It is not intended to be a formal application or curriculum vitae. You do not need to provide any other personal information at this stage.

Please note the Minister of Local Government will seek formal nominations for the Register in 2027. Not taking part in the early and informal EOI does not exclude anyone from participating in the formal appointments process.

Information submitted through the informal EOI process will not be used to assess the suitability of any candidate, or to exclude anyone from participating in the formal appointments process. Assessment of a candidate’s suitability for a Commissioner role will be based on the information provided as part of the formal appointments process.

How your information is used and stored

The information you provide will be held by MCERT only for the purposes described above. It will not be disclosed to any other agency, except as permitted under the Privacy Act 2020. The information will be deleted once it is no longer required for these purposes.