Progress too slow - 2015 Treaty Audit of Auckland Council

A major finding of the second Te Tiriti o Waitangi audit on the wider Auckland Council group shows only a few of the 42 audited recommendations are completed. The audit findings were presented to the Mayor and Councillors during an Auckland Council Finance and Performance committee meeting yesterday.

The Board’s follow-up Te Tiriti o Waitangi audit on Auckland Council, Local Boards and Council-controlled organisations has been completed by global service providers, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The audit reassesses the wider council’s performance against high priority legislative requirements relating to Māori and provides insight into progress made against the 2012 baseline audit.

Working together to make organisational change to the way local government operates in New Zealand’s largest city has resulted in displays of good intentions by council. However, progress is slow in putting the necessary plans in place to ensure council fulfil their legal obligations to Māori.

Board Chairman David Taipari says, “The Board is not satisfied with the wider council’s progress. There’s high awareness of obligations, however it is timely progress that’s required in order to reach a place of compliance. If we, the Board, were to be satisfied with the current rate of progress, it would take nearly 40 years to address the outstanding recommendations and that’s simply not good enough”.

The audit confirms that within council there is a high level of interest and support to implement a plan to address the recommendations in the report.

ENDS

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