Common Ground Aotearoa is an organisation dedicated to a few simple goals: cities should be nice to live in, they should be vibrant and full of activity, and above all, they should be affordable. Jesse and Aidan started CGA in 2022 because we saw that at the same time as rent prices were soaring, plots of land that could be used to build housing were sitting empty or being put to terrible use, such as surface car parks. We realised that the way Wellington and many other cities charge rates was contributing to this problem, and decided to begin advocating for a move to Land Value Rates—rating based on land value instead of total property value—in order to spur development, end land banking and improve affordability.

Since founding CGA, we've been engaging with councillors, community groups and members of the public across New Zealand, talking about the benefits of switching to Land Value Rates and learning a lot about the needs of different communities. We've seen that there are many ways that the rates system is broken, and there is significant appetite for a more progressive approach, from Wellington to Queenstown to Auckland.

Not only do many councils employ rating policies that discourage the supply of new housing, they also often calculate rates in extremely convoluted ways and raise revenue through fixed charges (essentially poll taxes) that punish low-income families. Our vision is for a land value based system that is simple and easy to understand, and which gives working class New Zealanders the break they deserve.

New Zealand has a choice to make: stick with the status quo that rewards land bankers and squashes economic activity, or opt for Land Value Rates, an approach that is backed by economists around the world and would make a real difference for bringing down the cost of living. We believe the choice is clear, and if you think so too, we encourage you to get involved and spread the word.

Jesse & Aidan