Taituarā – Local Government Professionals Aotearoa welcomes the insightful and comprehensive analysis from The Future for Local Government Review Panel, shaping the work it will undertake over the next twelve months.
“We haven’t looked under the hood of local government in this sort of way in three decades, and the world has shifted on its axis in that time,” said Taituarā President Sanchia Jacobs.
At the time the Review was launched in April 2021 Taituarā Vice President Jo Miller noted the era-scale change faced by the sector.
“Globally, nationally and locally we are facing change on a par with the Industrial Revolution. We need to move to different energy sources, to take much greater care of how we use land and natural resources.
“This means that everything will need to be done differently - where and how people live, how and where work happens, how people travel, how food is supplied, how learning happens.
“We must be deliberate about putting equity at the forefront of the changes we go through. To do that we need new systems which are grounded in concepts such as ‘ora’ meaning that they are inherently designed to enhance well-being for all! “
These ideas are represented in the Critical Transitions work Taituarā launched in February 2020.
In identifying five key questions the Panel has signalled the breadth and depth its enquiries will take.
“Effective responses to these issues will require coordinated or at least aligned action at national, subnational, regional, and local or community levels, involving central and local government, and also iwi, the business community, community organisations and others.
Ultimately we are all affected by the work of local government and the next steps of planned Review Panel engagement activity ensures a broad and diverse range of perspectives will be welcomed.
“This review is both welcome and significant in terms of the important role Councils have in ensuring the wellbeing of the communities they serve, said Ms Jacobs.
“Ārewa ake te kaupapa well-captures the sector and Taituarā looks forward to working closely with the Panel to inform the next stages of its work.”
Webinars
The Future for Local Government Review Panel is offering two webinars next week. Here’s the link to the registration for the webinars:
If you have any questions please use this email address provided by The Future for Local Government Review Panel.