The Opposition Leader's committing to no unfunded mandates for councils, saying if Central Government expects something new from councils, it has to back them

Chris Hipkins has spoken at the Local Government New Zealand Conference -- days after Prime Minister Chris Luxon lambasted councils for wasteful spending.

Hipkins says Luxon's speech was patronizing and offensive, but admits Labour didn't get everything right around funding.

He says if he could go back, he would have the conversation about sustainable funding models with local government earlier.