The government’s "Simplifying Local Government" proposal is a chance to create a better model for local government for our country.
But let’s be very careful as it repeats some worrying patterns in the current government’s actions. A strong response will be needed to bring about change that benefits our communities, our industries and our environment.
The headlines have been about doing away with regional councils, but the proposal opens up wider changes in local government structures.
The first step would "abolish regional councillors". The council workforces themselves would continue for a couple of years while new Combined Territories Boards take over council governance and decide on a future long-term structure.
Those boards would be composed of local mayors and possibly crown commissioners.
Regional councils were established with the major overhaul of local government in 1989. The logic for their creation still applies.
The environmental functions of regional councils cross city and district boundaries — think flood protection, pest control, promotion of biodiversity and water quality in lakes, rivers and aquifers. They can only be dealt with at catchment and regional scale.
The Mata-au/Clutha River, for example, runs through Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and Clutha Districts.
A two-year review of local government was presented in 2023 and quickly shelved by the present government. The 2023 review team met with every council, with iwi and Pasifika representatives, business and community leaders and rangatahi.
It had recommendations on resourcing and community engagement. It is essential to deal with these. The present proposal is notably silent on them.
It is also essential that the results of reforms are enduring. Honestly, we’re not off to a promising start on this one. The current proposal was put together without community and sector engagement or any consultation with opposition parties.
Ministers have spoken about environmental rules getting in the way of development, so it’s telling that the first step in their proposal is to target the governance of the local organisations tasked with environmental management.
This is at the same time that scientific reporting shows that river and groundwater quality continues to get worse throughout much of New Zealand and many native species are at risk of extinction.
Unfortunately, the current government has a pattern of weakening environmental protections. The fast-track legislation severely limits environmental considerations. The Regulatory Standards Act emphasises private property rights at the expense of the environment and community wellbeing.
Last year, the government legislated to prevent the Otago Regional Council from notifying its land and water plan — in my view, preventing the ORC from doing its job.
The plan had been over five years in the making, with wide community and sector input, and would have brought in stronger environmental rules. There are many more examples.
All of this puts the future of our natural environment and resources in jeopardy, and with it, the international standing that our export and tourism industries rely on.
And much more than that — we must leave Papatūānuku in a healthy state for the generations who come after us.
The erosion of democratic institutions is another worrying pattern. Regional councillors throughout the country were elected only weeks ago and now their tenure is in doubt.
Two councils have specific legislation guaranteeing iwi representation, and this will disappear with the removal of councillors. The proposal also raises the option of Crown-appointed commissioners forming the majority on the Combined Territories Boards.
We have also seen the unprecedented use of urgency in Parliament which has reduced public input and proper scrutiny of new laws.
The uncertainty around the future of regional councils puts at risk the retention of expertise contained within council staff. Locally, the future of initiatives such as ORC’s Eco Fund and the new large scale environmental fund are up in the air.
It is also unclear what will happen to Port Otago, at present publicly and regionally owned through the ORC.
It is early days in the process. To make sure something positive comes out of it, here are a few important principles:
• Whatever is settled on for local government organisation, it should be enduring. That means achieving a high degree of cross-party accord, so the next government doesn’t turn round and toss it out the door;
• If they are to be shifted, regional councils’ environmental functions must go to an agency with a dedicated focus on that, not to some hybrid beast that sees the environment as another resource to exploit;
• Port Otago must remain in public ownership.
Submissions on the proposal close on February 20, so look out for more commentary and make your views known.
• Green Party member Alan Somerville was recently re-elected to the Otago Regional Council.
