Empower Local Communities, Not Unelected Commissions - Dunne

At today’s UnitedFuture Annual General Meeting, leader, Peter Dunne, has declared his parties opposition to provisions in the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill (No.2) that would transfer Local Council assets to a Council-Controlled organisation without the consent of the affected local bodies.

"UnitedFuture has a long history of standing up for local democracy," said Mr Dunne.

"The principle of localism is an important principle for our party, we stand behind the notion of allowing local communities to be in command of their own destiny.

"It is for that reason that UnitedFuture supported the citizens of Canterbury over the Environment Canterbury Commissioners.

"We have consistently stood up and advocated for democracy in Canterbury over extending the role of the Government appointed commissioners.

"Without the local buy-in to Environment Canterbury, how on earth with that organisation deliver services that the citizens want in a way that best meets their needs?

"This is not to say that there is never a case for Central Government to be involved in local matters, there is, and the ongoing discussions on the Resource Management Act illustrate this.

"UnitedFuture, during these discussions, has stood by balancing the needs of nationwide environmental protection with the need to empower local communities to decide how they manage their natural resources.

"It was only when the proposed Bill tipped this balance and proposed Ministerial override powers to local plans that UnitedFuture objected to the passage of this Bill.

"Through advocating for the rights of local communities we allow people to be closer to decisions that affect their lives and give them more control in these decisions.

"In that context we turn to the Local Government Bill currently at Select Committee.

"This Bill proposes that the Government should be allowed to empower the Local Government Commission to place Local Council assets into an organisation that is not directly accountable to the council itself.

"That is not within the spirit if localism that UnitedFuture stands for.

"Governing bodies must be allowed to have control of their assets because it is only through those governing bodies that the people of that community have any input into how their assets are managed.

"It is for that reason that this week I have written to minister Lotu-Iiga to raise our concerns.

"Unlike certain parties, I am not proposing throwing our toys out of the cot and declaring opposition to this Bill, our party is one that is always willing to work constructively with any political party to ensure a better future for New Zealand.

"I have proposed to the Minister that the provisions that remove Local Council discretion be amended to require the agreement of affected Councils.

"Moreover, I have suggested that, in the interests of transparent decision making, the considerations of the Local Government Commission continue to be included within the remit of the Official Information Act.

"These changes to the Bill would put the legislation on the path of balancing the interests of local communities with the need for accountability for their decisions and it would secure UnitedFuture's support for the Bill.

"I trust that the Minister and I can engage in a constructive discussion about the Bill and together secure a better deal for our local democracies.

Ends.

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