Top speakers destined for Local Government New Zealand Conference

Prime Minister Helen Clark, six Cabinet Ministers, Dr Don Brash, Leader of the Opposition and world renowned international speakers and experts on local government will lead the line-up of speakers at next week’s Local Government New Zealand conference.

Over 500 delegates are scheduled to attend the Auckland conference including elected members and officials from local and central government, private sector leaders and other stakeholders with an interest in the local government sector.

The conference will be attended by Cabinet Ministers Rt Hon Helen Clark, Prime Minister, Hon Chris Carter, Minister of Local Government, Hon John Tamihere, Associate Minister of Maori Affairs, Hon Marian Hobbs, Minister for the Environment, Hon David Benson-Pope, Associate Minister for the Environment, Hon Mark Burton, Minister of Tourism, Hon Judith Tizard, Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage.

“The theme of this year’s conference, Designing the 21st Century, reflects the idea of creating sustainable communities. The conference sessions are designed to stimulate and provoke thinking about the future and particularly about local government’s role in designing the look and feel of our communities,” says Local Government New Zealand’s President Basil Morrison.

“Local Government New Zealand has worked extremely hard to bring together a programme of top-rate speakers who will challenge our sector to think about the big issues and opportunities facing local government,” he says.

Highlights of this year’s conference include:

Keynote addresses from international speakers and experts in the field of local government: Keith Suter, Australia Local Government and Two Global Revolutions Alan Simpson, United Kingdom ‘Urban Renaissance’ in Yorkshire UK Peter Kenyon, Australia Creating and Maintaining Healthy, Sustainable and Enterprising Communities Moira Rayner, Australia The Day After Tomorrow – Sustainable Local Democracy in a Global Environment The Issues Session Improving the RMA –Local Government New Zealand’s submission on the Resource Management Act will be officially delivered to Hon David Benson-Pope, Associate Minister for the Environment The Concurrent Satellite Session Sustaining Relationships with Maori the publication Local government and consultation with Maori – a survey of current council practices will also be launched at this session. The launch of the Tourism Toolkit by Hon Mark Burton, Minister of Tourism The Concurrent Satellite Session Children and Young People: Citizens of the Present and Future The Issues Session An Urban Lens Across Policy Issues Hon Pete Hodgson, Convenor of the Ministerial Committee on Climate change will officially launch the national Communities for Climate Protection™ Campaign immediately following the conference.

Local Government New Zealand’s annual conference will be held at Auckland’s Aotea Centre from 26 to 28 July. Ends All conference sessions are open to media except those identified in the programme (attached). For health and safety purposes all delegates are required to register on arrival, including members of the media, and must wear a name badge which will be issued upon registration. Local Government New Zealand is the national voice of all 86 councils of New Zealand.

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