Monday 16 July

9.00am

Ata Marie

Tena koutou

Good morning to you all…and welcome to the annual Local Government New Zealand conference.

Kia ora korua

I now welcome the Minister for Local Government, the Honorable David Carter, to officially open the conference.

Minister Carter this will be the first time you’ve helped open our conference. It’s good to have you here.

Thank you Minister.

Please welcome our host Mayor, Vanessa van Uden, to say a few words.

Thank you Vanessa – it’s an honour for us to be here.

I’d like to say a special thank you to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for getting behind this event 100 per cent.

Queenstown is a truly remarkable location – one of the most spectacular…I believe…in the world.

We are lucky to be graced by its awe inspiring beauty – the mountains, the lakes and the unforgettable wine and food.

But while it really is such a privilege to be able to hold our conference here, I’d like to remember Christchurch, which was where this conference was originally going to be.

So while we’re very grateful to the Queenstown Lakes District Council for hosting this event – I’d also like to remind Christchurch City councilors and Mayor Bob Parker …that when your city is ready – we’ll be there.

And I’m sure you’ll all support me in those comments.

So we’re here to celebrate the remarkable – taking as inspiration The Remarkable mountain range which dominates this landscape.

We’ve brought together speakers who are remarkable in their respective professional and personal spheres.

Some of you will have heard Sir Eion Edgar speak this morning about his campaign to bring the Winter Olympic Games downunder an audacious and successful bid.

And later on this morning we will hear Sir Graham Henry talk about the things needed to build a remarkable team.

Andrew Hamilton, the chief executive of one of New Zealand’s most successful business innovators The ICEHOUSE, will talk about creative and successful business thinkers and how to inspire them, and business writer Fran O’Sullivan will look at local government’s role in the growth agenda.

I especially look forward to hearing former Victorian Premier the Honorable John Brumby, who’s had a remarkable political and business career, give his take on the world in transition.

And of course we have our very own exemplar Anne Gibson, manager of LGNZ’s professional development programme KnowHow, who will, I’m certain, wow you with her presentation.

It’s my hope that from this range of speakers you will leave with new ideas to take back to your regions.

And that these ideas inspire you and ultimately benefit your council or community.

It’s been a challenging year – for Local Government New Zealand and for our sector.

We all look at ways of delivering more for less – and being more efficient and effective.

Our sector is doing its bit to make sure New Zealand Inc is a success.

Local government and central government are partners in this journey.

Local Government New Zealand does have some concerns with the Government’s Better Local Government reform agenda.

But there are also some areas we agree with central government on.

There are some useful new ideas that come from the reforms. Improving regulation and establishing better regulatory process, removing undue complexity from processes such as the Environment Court, strengthening the role of Mayors are all areas which deserve serious consideration and review.

But LGNZ questions the proposal to refocus the purpose of local government in the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill 2012 with the removal of the four wellbeings.

We believe this fundamentally undermines the integrity of the relationship local authorities have with their communities.

Part of the purpose of the current Act ensures outcomes must be delivered to communities. If one of the reasons for the changes is to limit the rile of local government then we question this approach.

If that is what our communities want, then that’s fair enough, but as a long serving Mayor that isn’t the feedback I have received.

The references to the wellbeings in the current Act are useful statutory signposts to councils to focus on community wellbeing outcomes.

We think the proposals inject unnecessary uncertainty because the scope of the new purpose clause is unclear.

I personally believe our constituents would want this statutory guidance kept enshrined as well.

We will be asking in its submission that the Government keep the purpose of local government as is.

And Minister it’s important that I signal to you, that at yesterdays AGM, a unanimous motion was passed which confirms the sectors view that there should be no change to the purpose clause of the Local Government Act.

I would ask that the government seriously consider modifying its position on this part of the reform package which is universally opposed by our sector.

We have also been concerned about a lack of evidence which has seen the Government assume that councils’ commitment to the wellbeings has contributed to increasing rates.

There is no evidence to support this across the board.

Neither is there evidence councils are finding it difficult to say ‘no’ to poor funding proposals. The recent round of Long Term Plan deliberations demonstrates this.

Local authorities must be able to have discussions with their communities about what to invest in, and how to raise the money for investment whether through rates, targeted rates or prudent use of debt.

Local governments work with their communities to deliver services in a way that central government never has. This relationship, based on principles of local democracy, should not be threatened.

LGNZ has always asserted local government is an arm of government – a partner not a functionary. We believe our sector adds huge value in many ways including:

• we deliver what central government needs – an environment which enables economic growth

• we deliver local services to meet local needs

• we manage the $100 billion worth of assets we own – central government would not want to do this

• we manage a plethora of regulation – again central government wouldn’t want to do this

• we consult with our communities in a way central government can’t

• we offer a pillar of support to central government allowing it to do its job of running the country.

I’m pretty optimistic for our future regardless of these concerns.

As President, my highest priority is to seek a much greater alignment between central and local government and the planning infrastructure development and long term success of New Zealand.

Having worked with the new Minister for Local Government I’m impressed with willingness to engage with our sector. I personally appreciate his approach.

I would now like to introduce our Prime Minister, the Right Honorable John Key to say a few words.

Thank you Prime Minister for coming down to open our conference and for continuing what has been a long tradition of Prime Ministerial attendance. This is the fourth time you’ve opened our conference and we appreciate your support.

ENDS

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