12 November 2009

On the 20th of November, two senior Government Ministers, along with Auckland’s Mayors and social policy leaders will present their vision for Auckland at a groundbreaking conference on the North Shore.

The conference, “Passing Go”, hosted by community groups North Shore Community and Social Services and Raeburn House, will look at social issues in Auckland and how the ‘Supercity’ changes in local government will affect the delivery of services to the community.

Key speakers include Minister of Social Development and Employment Paula Bennett, Minister of Local Government Rodney Hide, and several Auckland-based frontline researchers and agents of change. There will also be a debate featuring a number of Auckland’s Mayors.

North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams says that the changes to local government in Auckland have triggered the need for in-depth debate on social issues.

“Although social issues were given a central focus in the Royal Commission report, this area has not been adequately addressed in the current reform processes, despite the key role local government plays.

He says that the Auckland Transition Agency notes that Aucklandwide, the community services workstream brings together activities that employ over 2200 staff, and cost approximately $750 million each year in operations, grants and capital expenditure. This includes approximately $70 million in annual grant funding to the not-for-profit sector.

“And as the Royal Commission research pointed out, the combined local and central government spending on social issues in Auckland is around $12 billion a year”.

Mayor Williams says that social wellbeing work has three main players – community organisations, councils and central government.

“The challenge is to ensure that in this time of change, the ratepayer-funded support for our community – with all its complex and diverse relationships - is carried through into the new Auckland Council.

“Councils provide a huge range of facilities such as libraries, parks and reserves, community centres, citizens advice bureaux, cemeteries, war memorials, art galleries and theatres and performance venues, he says.

“Councils also play a major role in community development, which can include activities as varied as health, education, crime prevention, arts, and local community events.

“Councils are the only representative local body able to bring together all the agencies and people impacted by a decision to ensure a locally-responsive solution.

Mayor Williams says that the local government reform process, coupled with the review of the Local Government Act, has left community agencies and those working with social issues in the region in a state of uncertainty.

“So far, there has been only limited public discussion of how Auckland’s new council and local boards will work to promote social wellbeing.

“Importantly, little detail has been released on Minister Paula Bennett’s proposed Social Policy Forum.

“This conference will make a substantial contribution to the debate, by bringing together the leading academics, political thinkers and expert practitioners in the areas of social and community development.”

The “Passing Go” conference is hosted by community groups North Shore Community and Social Services and Raeburn House, with support from the North Shore, Auckland, Waitakere and Manukau City Councils. Other councils throughout greater Auckland are also involved in promotion and in providing speakers and delegates.

The full-day conference will be held in the Harbour Function Centre, North Harbour Stadium, Albany, on 20 November 2009.

Register at the following website. http://http://www.passing-go.org

ENDS

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