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Resolution
number AE/2023/22
MOVED by Member R Smith, seconded by Member J
Maskill:
That the
Albert-Eden Local Board:
a)
recommend that the
following areas are prioritised for focus and engagement with the Review
Panel and for Auckland Council’s submission:
i) Clarifying the
scope of, and boundaries between, local and central government roles and
functions in a
Tiriti-consistent, ecologically responsible manner and applying the following
core principles:
A)
subsidiarity,
according to the proposed framework at p110, 2022 Draft report;
B)
recognising and
supporting local government’s capacity to influence the conditions for
wellbeing, specifically noting that in Auckland, Local Boards understand and
are well connected to their communities and this should be recognised when
planning for community and the shape of local government;
C)
te ao Māori
values; and
D)
the need to clarify
statutory responsibilities.
ii)
Strengthening local
democracy and community-led decision-making, including by local government:
A)
developing
innovative participatory and deliberative practices (p 10, 2022 Draft report);
B)
exploring, adapting
and trialing new forms of participatory and deliberative democracy;
C)
learning from other
countries and organisations (p37, 2022 Draft report);
D)
developing tools
for a representative sample of the population, selected by sortition, to
respond to a particular question (for example; citizens’ assembly;
Watercare example); and
E)
overall, whilst protecting the importance of the democratic election process,
becoming “more of an ‘enabler’ of democratic
decision-making, not the holder of it” (p41, 2022 Draft report)
supporting Key Shift 1.
iii)
Strengthening, by
agreement, central and local government co-investment in community wellbeing, consistently with the United
Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals or the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, with central government making the necessary funding
provisions.
iv)
Strengthening local
government’s role in achieving greater community wellbeing outcomes as
provider, networker and convenor with the necessary central government support to address
localised, place-based needs priorities as determined by research-based needs
analysis (in response to question on p205 and pp37 and 120, 2022 Draft
report).
v)
Finding ways to secure
more equitable funding for local government (p37, 2022 Draft report), including, specifically:
rating all central government land given the pressure that the use of such
land creates on infrastructure.
vi)
Strengthening the
central-local government relationship: Whilst the local board has experience with engaging
with central government agencies, this has not always produced tangible
outcomes, for example, trees have been removed despite the local
board’s requests on behalf of communities, and a basic safety design
principle has been overlooked despite requests this be attended to; engaging
is a necessary pre-condition for success, but failing to act on clear messages
with radio silence instead of explaining reasons breeds distrust.
vii) Enhancing representative democracy by:
A)
investigating
single transferrable voting;
B)
note the Supreme
Court decision that preventing 16 and 17-year olds from voting is
inconsistent with the Bill of Rights and recommends investigating the
feasibility of lowering the voting age for local elections to 16-year olds;
C)
consideration of a
four-year term in local government to ensure planning and delivery can be
done well throughout an electoral cycle;
D)
recommend
consideration be given to introducing compulsory voting in local government
elections (as recommended on p186, 2022 Draft report).
viii) Central government enhancing its own
decision-making by sharing the
knowledge, funding of, and mahi within communities historically left to local
government alone, examples include the Department of Internal Affairs
‘welcoming Communities Programme'.
CARRIED
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