Submissions open on proposed changes to local government
Fri 13 Jul 2012
Submissions are currently open on a Bill proposing changes to local government. These include removing references to the "social, economic, ...
Submissions are currently open on a Bill proposing changes to local government. These include removing references to the "social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities" in the statement of purpose of local government, as part of a stated intention to return local government to "core business". Submissions are open until 26 July 2012. Background information and details of how to make a submission are below.
Making a submission:
How to make a submission, Local Government and Environment Select Committee
(Scroll to the bottom of the page to make a submission online)
Information from Councils:
Discussion document from Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and Society of Local Government Manager (SOLGM). Download PDF (350 KB)
Auckland Council's response to the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill
Media:
'Local councils push back against Government redefinitions' NZ Herald, 17/7/12
'Councils must focus on core business - Key', NZ Herald, 20/3/12
'Local government plans queried', Manawatu Standard, 20/3/12
'Govt expected to shake up local councils', NZ Herald, 17/3/12
Family violence:
Witzman, C. (2011). Half-Full or Half-Empty? Planning for Women’s Safety in Victoria, Australia. Planning Theory & Practice, Vol. 12, No. 3, 367–385, September
Download PDF (153 KB)
(Discusses international examples of local government involvement in preventing violence against women)
'Desire to make a difference' - Coordinated community action model (NZ version) (Download PDF 530 KB)
(Includes the role of local government in family violence prevention)
Other resources:
'Social development is local government’s core business', LawScene, July 2009
Information and links from the Labour party
Details of the proposed changes:
Summary of the proposed changes, NZ Parliament Library
First Reading Speech, Minister of Local Government David Carter
Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill 2012
Proposed change to statement of purpose:
Currently, the stated purpose of local government is:
"(a) to enable democratic local decision-making and action by, and on behalf of, communities; and
(b) to promote the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well-being of communities, in the present and for the future." (section 10)
The amendment would replace (b) with:
"(b) to meet the current and future needs of communities for good-quality local infrastructure, local public services, and performance of regulatory functions in a way that is most cost-effective for households and businesses.”