Local Government payment times
Supporting the Government’s commitment to prompt payment, local government organisations are encouraged to pay suppliers promptly and report on their payment performance.
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Local Government payment time results
- The local government prompt payment results below provide transparency on council performance and reflect the expectation that councils take prompt payment seriously. Publishing these results supports accountability and gives greater visibility of payment behaviour across the sector.
- The results below are for the January to March 2026 quarter. Councils will be surveyed again in early 2027 and the results below updated.
Efficient invoice data entry - invoices entered within 1 business day
| Agency | % of invoices paid within 10 business days | Estimated days from receipt to entry into finance software | Number of invoices for quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hastings District Council | 96% | 1 | 4,637 |
| Wellington City Council (WCC) | 95% | 1 | 13,400 |
| Porirua City Council | 93% | 3,036 | |
| Whanganui District Council | 91% | 4,374 | |
| Central Otago District Council | 87% | 2,279 | |
| Tararua District Council | 80% | 1 | 1,802 |
| Rangitīkei District Council | 74% | 1 | 1,724 |
| Northland Regional Council | 62% | 2,098 | |
| Horizons Regional Council | 61% | 2,586 | |
| Nelson City Council | 58% | 1 | 3,305 |
| Horowhenua District Council | 57% | 1 | 2,761 |
| Kāpiti Coast District Council | 45% | 1 | 3,676 |
| Central Hawke’s Bay District Council | 44% | 1,334 | |
| Whakatāne District Council | 41% | 1 | 2,803 |
| Mackenzie District Council | 38% | 1 | 1,138 |
| Otago Regional Council | 37% | 2,222 | |
| Waitomo District Council | 32% | 1 | 1,053 |
| Opōtiki District Council | 31% | 1 | 1,034 |
| Dunedin City Council | 23% | 1 | 6,046 |
| Taranaki Regional Council | 20% | 1 | 1,527 |
| South Waikato District Council | 20% | 1 | 1,567 |
| Greater Wellington Regional Council | 19% | 1 | 5,626 |
| Environment Canterbury (ECAN) | 18% | 3,844 | |
| Waitaki District Council | 8% | 1 | 1,900 |
Moderate invoice data entry - invoices entered between 2 and 4 business days
| Agency | % of invoices paid within 10 business days | Estimated days from receipt to entry into finance software | Number of invoices for quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hutt City Council | 100% | 3 | 3,677 |
| Buller District Council | 98% | 3 | 45 |
| Ashburton District Council | 94% | 4 | 2,844 |
| Kawerau District Council | 93% | 2 | 1,402 |
| Waipā District Council | 92% | 4 | 2,774 |
| Grey District Council | 88% | 3 | 24 |
| Kaikōura District Council | 75% | 2 | 625 |
| Upper Hutt City Council | 56% | 2 | 1,047 |
| Tasman District Council | 41% | 3 | 3,717 |
| Manawatū District Council | 36% | 4 | 1,744 |
| Masterton District Council | 32% | 3 | 1,728 |
| Wairoa District Council | 25% | 2 | 1,046 |
| Christchurch City Council | 22% | 2 | 11,293 |
| Matamata-Piako District Council | 20% | 4 | 3,814 |
| New Plymouth District Council | 11% | 3 | 5,159 |
| Waimakariri District Council | 7% | 2 | 2,858 |
| Stratford District Council | 7% | 2 | 210 |
| Watercare | 5% | 2 | 12,055 |
| Hurunui District Council | 1% | 2 | 2,104 |
| Carterton District Council | 1% | 2 | 1,072 |
Slow invoice data entry - invoices entered in 5 business days or more
| Agency | % of invoices paid within 10 business days | Estimated days from receipt to entry into finance software | Number of invoices for quarter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marlborough District Council | 87% | 5 | 3,763 |
| Environment Southland | 84% | 5 | 1,910 |
| Hamilton City Council | 83% | 5 | 7,720 |
| Gisborne District Council | 76% | 5 | 3,440 |
| West Coast Regional Council | 67% | 5 | 1,429 |
| Taupō District Council | 65% | 5 | 2,719 |
| Clutha District Council | 64% | 5 | 1,894 |
| Rotorua Lakes Council | 52% | 5 | 3,560 |
| Tauranga City Council | 49% | 5 | 7,074 |
| Bay of Plenty Regional Council | 40% | 5 | 3,159 |
| Palmerston North City Council | 29% | 5 | 6,471 |
| Ruapehu District Council | 15% | 5 | 490 |
| Gore District Council | 9% | 5 | 1,900 |
| Invercargill City Council | 7% | 5 | 3,999 |
Grand total
| % of invoices paid within 10 business days | Number of invoices for quarter |
|---|---|
| 48.7% | 184,538 |
No response / unable to provide data
- Auckland Council
- Chatham Islands Council
- Far North District Council
- Hauraki District Council
- Hawke’s Bay Regional Council
- Kaipara District Council
- Napier City Council
- Ōtorohanga District Council
- Queenstown Lakes District Council
- Selwyn District Council
- South Taranaki District Council
- South Wairarapa District Council
- Southland District Council
- Thames-Coromandel District Council
- Timaru District Council
- Waikato District Council
- Waikato Regional Council
- Waimate District Council
- Western Bay of Plenty District Council
- Westland District Council
- Whangārei District Council
Key
| Colour | Target |
|---|---|
| > 95% (meeting target) | |
| 80% to 95% | |
| < 80% | |
| No response |
Payment times are measured from when an invoice is entered into agencies' financial systems. The majority of invoices received are entered into agency financial systems within 1 working day while eInvoices are entered immediately.