Taituarā – Local Government Professionals Aotearoa welcomes the Future for Local Government Review Panel’s draft report 'He mata whāriki, he matawhānui'
and acknowledges the Panel’s significant effort to get to this point, including the extensive engagement it has undertaken over the past 18 months.
Read the draft report on the Review into the Future of Local Government website.
Taituarā President, Sanchia Jacobs said “At first glance many of the Panel’s recommendations reflect the Taituarā Executive’s own position – starting with people thriving in place and the emphasis on wellbeing outcomes being at the centre of everything councils do.”
“Recommendations for a Tiriti-based partnership with Māori, inclusive democracy, councils as anchor institutions, place-makers, and systems convenors, and the call for sustainable funding and co-investment in wellbeing outcomes will also resonate with local government.”
“While many will have been expecting firm recommendations on a new system including the future functions, roles and structure for local government and the partnership with central government, the Review Panel’s thinking is still evolving. Between now and 28 February 2023 we need to rise to the opportunity to shape this thinking. Our feedback needs to build on the recommendations and concepts in the draft report and be bold and brave in reimagining the system.”
“Ora - people thriving in place - is mission critical for both central and local government, because everyone doing well matters. We have a burning platform for change. The local governance system is not fit for purpose. The size and scale of the challenges facing our communities, central, and local government mean we must think and act differently, as one system. Anything less will be a disservice to the communities of Aotearoa New Zealand.”
“If we are to have confidence that we are spending public money wisely, leveraging our strengths, and dealing with the critical issues of our time we need a strong collaborative partnership. Taituarā and our members will lean into the complexities of the challenge, and we invite our central government colleagues to do so too ahead of the Review Panel’s final report.”
Taituarā looks forward to reading the detail in the report, considering the questions that remain to be answered, and engaging with the Review Panel and our central government partners at our November conference Ko te heke mai ināianei - the future is now.