Local Government New Zealand

Over the past few years, we’ve had increasing – and alarming – reports from our members about the high levels of abuse they receive, both on and off the internet. A recent poll of elected members showed nearly two thirds faced abuse online, and 53% said the abuse they received was worse than a year ago.

This is a huge issue. Everyone deserves to feel safe at work – even if that work is in the public eye. Of course everyone is of allowed an opinion, and those opinions can be different from the people sitting at council tables. That’s democracy. But there’s a massive difference between saying your piece or constructively criticising a decision, versus abuse, threats and aggressive behaviour.

Our goal at LGNZ is to be the most active and inclusive democracy in the world. Yet to do that, we need to ensure local government is safe for all members – regardless of their gender, ethnicity, sexuality or anything else people are often discriminated against.

So, over the next few weeks, we’ll be talking a bit about this issue, and giving some handy pointers on how to have genuinely constructive conversations with your councils. If that sounds like common sense, well, it should be.

Last week, CE Susan Freeman-Greene and President Sam Broughton met with the Prime Minister and Local Government Minister. Talks took a practical approach to tackle the challenges facing local government. We'll follow up on this conversation with Minister Brown when we meet him in October.

Kia ora! Ko te Wiki o te Reo Māori tēnei.

He taonga Te Reo Māori i Aotearoa, nō reira he wā pai ki te ako, ki te whakapai ake i ō pūkenga, me te rapu i ētahi kupu hou.

Hei whakanui i Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, kua whakaritea e mātou he rārangi o ētahi o ngā wāhi e tiakina ana e te kāwanatanga ā-rohe mā ngā hapori.

Kia ora! It’s Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

Te Reo Māori is a taonga to Aotearoa New Zealand, so it's a great time to learn, improve your skills, and discover new words to use.

To celebrate Māori Language Week, we’ve put together a list of some things that local government takes care of for our communities.

I waenganui i te pōuritanga

Ka tuku mihi aroha ki te Kuiini hou, Te Arikinui Kuiini Ngā Wai hono i te Pō

I rongo mātou ki te karanga o Kiingi Tūheitia Pootatau VII ki te whai i te Kōtahitanga

Ānei mātou, nō te Kāhui Kaunihera o Aotearoa e tautoko ana i taua whāinga.

We acknowledge Te Arikinui Kuiini Ngā Wai hono i te Pō on her succession to the throne and renew our commitment to building a strong, lasting partnership with Māori. Mayors, chairs, and councillors from all over the country came together to pay their respects at Kiingi Tūheitia’s tangihanga, recognising his role in leading the call for unity (Kōtahitanga). LGNZ President Sam Broughton highlighted how important it is for local councils to work closely with Māori to provide the key services and infrastructure our communities rely on. LGNZ is committed to honouring Kiingi Tūheitia’s legacy by working with the Kiingitanga and Iwi Māori, strengthening relationships, addressing key issues, and continuing conversations on Māori wards.

https://www.lgnz.co.nz/news/media-releases/local-government-acknowledges-new-m%C4%81ori-monarch/

Image supplied by Kiingitanga.

At our recent (super) conference, we unveiled our new localism guide—a go-to resource for transforming localism into action. This guide is packed with practical tips for councils and features an array of inspiring case studies from both local and international projects. Here’s a glimpse at some standout localism initiatives making an impact across the country:

The School Sustainability and Resilience Fund: Powered by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, this fund is all about empowering schools to champion sustainability. It supports projects aimed at environmental education, sustainable practices, and resilience-building activities. The goal? To help schools cut their environmental footprint, adapt to changing conditions, and instill the importance of sustainability.

Urban Plus: Based in Lower Hutt and operating under the Hutt City Council, Urban Plus provides social housing to Hutt City residents in need. From urban regeneration to housing development, their work is all about creating vibrant, sustainable communities.

Te Kōrari, the People’s Panel: This innovative initiative by Environment Canterbury invites community members to weigh in on regional decisions through online surveys. It’s a simple yet powerful way for everyone to voice their opinions on various issues. The surveys are quick, optional, and provide invaluable feedback without replacing formal consultations.

Catch the highlights in our video here:

LocalismVideo V3

Being an elected member isn't just for the older generation anymore. In fact, the number of councillors under 40 has doubled since 2016, and more young people are heading to the polls than ever before. Despite this, there’s a gap: not enough young New Zealanders are running for office. Our data shows that only 12-13% of candidates in the last three election cycles were under 35. What’s holding them back?

Young NZers are voting in local elections but why aren’t more running? Being a local government councillor isn’t just a job for old people anymore. Since 2016, the number of councillors elected under the age of 40 has doubled.

Kua hinga tētahi Tōtara i te Wao nui a Tāne.
Moe mai, moe mai e te Arikinui.
Ka heke ngā roimata.
Auē, auē taukuri ē.

Today, with heavy hearts, we acknowledge the passing of Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

Kiingi Tuuheitia was a strong pillar within Māoridom who stood for kōtahitanga across Aotearoa. We send our deepest condolences to the Kāhui Āriki, Waikato-Tainui and all those in mourning who will descend upon Tūrangawaewae in the coming days.

Moe mai, moe mai.

"In this storm we are strong. Together. The wind in our sails is kotahitanga, and with that we will reach our destination."

Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau te Wherowhero VII, 2024

What’s red and pink and super? Our SuperLocal Awards. Held last week as part of our SuperLocal conference, we had the opportunity to champion and celebrate some incredible people and projects in local government. Hear more about this outstanding work directly from our winners.

SuperLocal Awards

Last but not least, our SuperHuman Award! Another new one this year. We asked every Mayor and Chair to nominate an elected member from their council or a community board — a hidden gem who exemplifies what being an elected member is all about. The winner of this award is a genuine giver, enabler and doer who always goes above and beyond for their community. They are driven by a clear purpose and genuine desire to lift their community. They’re a SuperHuman!

And the winner is...

Neville Phillips, Gore District Council

Councillor, council employee, community board member, sports administrator and volunteer fireman – Neville Phillips has spent half a lifetime serving the Mataura community and wider Gore District. His ability to play the long game has delivered place shaping projects to Mataura with minimal impact on local’s pockets – a testament to Neville’s diplomacy and negotiation skills.

Next is a new award this year! The SuperSteward Award, sponsored by Air New Zealand.

This award is about celebrating the brilliant work our councils do for Aotearoa New Zealand’s environment. The winning initiative will have made a huge impact on the unique habitat of a council’s city, district or region — for example, improving biodiversity, mitigating the impacts of climate change or coming up with an innovative way to reduce waste. Maybe it involves raising community awareness of environmental issues, or enabling and empowering locals to take action themselves. However a council’s tackled it, they’ve found creative and engaging ways to make a positive impact on the environment in their rohe.

And the winner is...

Mangatāwhai/Black Valley Wetland Restoration, from Tasman District Council

Tasman District Council and its iwi partners are making huge strides restoring these wetlands – combining Mātauranga Māori with modern environmental engineering techniques to restore mauri to the Nelson Lakes site. A brilliant example of this was the coordination of a weaving wānanga, which produced harakeke geotextile baskets used to plug the drains at the wetland site – demonstrating the environmental outcomes we can achieve through combining expertise and knowledge.

And Highly Commended goes to...

Wharekawa Coast 2120 Community Plan Project, from Hauraki District Council, Waikato Regional Council and Waikato District Council

Following the 2017 and 2018 floods on the Wharekawa Coast, the race was one to find ways to protect and support local communities. So began the Wharekawa Coast 2120 Community Plan. Five impacted communities, two iwi, three councils, and one community panel all came together – using extensive consultation and collaboration to create a 100-year plan that would build resilience to natural hazards and the growing impacts of climate change.

Next – our SuperCollab Award, sponsored by Fulton Hogan. This award is for an innovative collaboration or partnership that’s delivered a brilliant outcome — one that’s had a significant positive impact on all or part of a community’s social, economic, environmental and/or cultural wellbeing. Whether a council’s worked with one or multiple collaborators, they’ve taken a genuine partnership approach built on trust, respect and innovation. The outcome of this partnership or collaboration will have long-lasting benefits to their community.

And the winner is...

Marae Emergency Preparedness and Resilience, from Gisborne District Council, Te Puni Kōkiri, Toitu Tairāwhiti, Trust Tairāwhiti, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Department of Internal Affaris, Ngāti Porou, Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa, Hato Hone/St John, NZ Police, Fire and Emergency NZ, NZ Red Cross, GNS, Think Water Gisborne Ltd and Hauora Tairāwhiti

This is a groundbreaking initiative that’s delivered 19 disaster-equipped pods to the region’s most isolated communities. Each pod is a 20-foot shipping container equipped with lifesaving supplies and is strategically placed close to Marae in isolated areas of the region – meaning that if communities are cut off in a disaster, they are ready to respond effectively during emergencies.

And Highly Commended goes to...

Te Kapua Papa Tākaro, from Taupō District Council and Ngāti Tūrangitukua

Taupō District Council have taken their play space to the next level, collaborating with mana whenua to create a papa tākaro that tells their cultural stories and history of its people. It’s one of the first projects in the district to adopt a co-design approach – thanks to a partnership between Ngāti Tūrangitukua, the owners of the whenua, and Council, who undertook construction of the space.

Next up, the SuperEngaged Award!

This award is all about the fresh and creative ways a council has encouraged their community to participate in local government. They’ve found a way to ensure local voices contribute to decision-making — including voices that aren’t always heard. Through these innovative approaches to engagement and participation, these councils have made sure their communities’ views are truly reflected in their work.

And the winner is...

Your Place – Your Plan, from Masterton District Council

To get a broad range of feedback and submissions that truly reflected their community, Masterton District Council created an unmissable wave of Long-Term Plan activity – including pop events, viral social media trends, newspaper ads and more. They even had a town crier pounding the pavement, exclaiming ‘Here ye, here ye!’ and distributing 'newspapers’ to passersby. The result? An impressive 145 percent increase in the number of submissions received. Here ye!

And Highly Commended goes to...

How video submissions changed the face of Porirua City’s Long-Term Plan consultation, from Porirua City Council

For decades, many councils have relied on formal, written submissions to consult with the public on Long Term Plans. But Porirua Council knew this was a barrier for many people. So, after listening to feedback from their first Pacific Strategy, they introduced a video submission option for their Long-Term Plan – giving a much-needed voice to their Pacific communities. The results speak for themselves. Total submissions jumped 55 per cent, and those made by Pacific people leapt from 4 to 39 per cent.

First up at SuperAwards, we're announcing the SuperIdea Award, sponsored by Chapman Tripp. This one's for those who think outside the box. The SuperIdea Award will go to a breathtakingly clever solution to an age-old cultural, social, economic or environmental problem in the community. Big or small, this idea will have shifted people’s thinking away from the “we’ve always done it this way” mentality to a new paradigm.

And the winner is...

The Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management Common Operating Picture, from Gisborne District Council

Gisborne District Council has transformed their approach to emergency management by building Common Operating Picture. It’s a platform that gathers intelligence and data from a range of trusted sources – displaying it on an interactive TV screen in the middle of their Emergency Coordination Centre. This means they get live, up-to-date information on everything including urgent welfare needs, river heights, road information, evacuations, and more. All in one place.

And congratulations to our Highly Commended...

Waiaroha, from Hastings District Council

Wairoha is a cutting-edge water treatment plant – but it’s also so much more than that. Not only does it provide safe drinking water for the community, Wairoha serves as an accessible and interactive discovery centre – where kids and adults alike can learn about all things water.

Guess who’s back? Back again? It’s the SuperLocal Awards. The Oscars of local government. Tonight, we’re celebrating the amazing mahi of councils around the country. There are some amazing projects and people we’ll be honouring. Stay tuned…

Climate change. It’s here. It’s real. And it’s an issue that councils are facing head on.

In this session, we explored how climate adaptation and mitigation are interconnected, and the vital role local government plays in building resilient communities across our towns, cities, and regions. We discussed practical plans that not only combat climate change but also improve our places for everyone.

Hon Simon Watts, Minister for Climate Change, joined Mayor Jamie Cleine to dive into the Government's goals for climate adaptation. Climate expert Digby Hall also shared some hard truths and showed how adaptation can lead to thriving communities.

Next up – Chris Hipkins, Leader of the Opposition. He began by acknowledging and thanking local government leaders for their vital work, before emphasising the importance of local government in building thriving communities.

When it came to local government’s infrastructure challenges, which Hipkins noted has been decades in the making, he criticised the current government for focusing on casting blame rather than coming up with solutions. He also called for an honest conversation between local and central government about how we fund infrastructure, advocating for more investment in key services.

As well as stressing the need to end the cycle of blame, Hipkins called for need to the make bold decisions supported by proper investment – and explore new funding tools to support local projects without overburdening ratepayers.

He was then joined by Labour’s Local Government Spokesperson, Kieren McAnulty, to continue the conversation.

The Government has chosen not to respond to the Future for Local Government Review. So, where do we go from here?

In our first SuperLocal session today, we took a hard look at the decisions that will shape the future of local government – and explored innovative ways to tackle our challenges. We heard from Sarah Baddely of MartinJenkins, who explored key questions of local government structure.

Next up was a really engaging panel with Anita Baker, Mayor Porirua City Council; Bayden Barber, Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Board; Peter Nunns of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga; and Jonathan Salter of Simpson Grierson. It was great to get their insights and perspectives on the topic.

We were also inspired by the Dublin Citizens' Assembly, with insights from Art O’Leary of the Electoral Commission of Ireland. Art shared how Citizens' Assemblies have become a key part of Ireland's decision-making process – a great example of participatory democracy and localism in action.

Last night we tipped our hats to our unsung heroes – our Community Boards and board members. So much of the mahi done by local government goes under the radar. That’s why we’re excited to lift the lid on some of the incredible and inspiring work our community board members do. So, without further ado, here’s well-deserving winners!

✨ Enhancing Communities Award goes to… Tīrau Community Board! ✨

The judges praised this project as “real local government” with a lot of grit. Their work on transforming an unused reserve into a vibrant community hub with a suspension bridge, pump track and BBQ area is making a real difference. It’s all about improving people’s lives and creating multi-generational change.

Highly Commended goes to Eastbourne Community Board and Waikanae Community Board.

✨ Engaging with Communities Award is awarded to… Raumati Community Board! ✨

The judges were impressed with Raumati Community Board’s innovative approach and shift to relational engagement. Raumati’s new vision project, which encourages ongoing community conversations, has been a true game changer. It’s strengthened relationships and secured funding for future community projects.

Highly Commended goes to Bay of Islands - Whangaroa Community Board .

✨ Partnering with Councils Award goes to… Martinborough Community Board! ✨

The judges highlighted this project as a great model for councils, showcasing of the box thinking. The Martinborough Resilience Project has created a community around their Community Emergency Hub, helping locals connect and prepare for emergencies. It’s a fantastic example of community and council collaboration.

Huge thanks to all the community boards for their incredible work and dedication! And there’s more award goodness coming tomorrow. Stay tuned for the SuperLocal Awards.