‘Kia ora koutou katoa' [‘Hello everyone' in Maori]. Many people in the UK will consider New Zealand a close relative in the global family of countries. This is a Commonwealth country where the King is still head of state, and as we recently marked Armistice Day, we are reminded of some of the shared history between Britain and New Zealand.

There are some things familiar to a ‘Pom' freshly arrived, including in the world of local government. But there are many points of contrast, too.

 

Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi, (Te Tiriti) signed by the Crown and Maori chiefs in 1840, is the birth point of the nation and the setting of the principles of partnership and co-governance between Maori and the British. Although signed a long time ago, Te Tiriti remains a live issue for local government and indeed wider New Zealand society and politics.

The Crown, regarded by many Maori as not having lived up to its Treaty obligations, has worked progressively to put this right, albeit there is still some way to go in the process of decolonisation and recognition of iwi (tribal) rights.

Maori values and treaty principles, focused on Whanau (family), Kaitiakitanga (care for the environment), rangatiratanga (sovereignty of Maori) and Whakapapa (knowing and connecting with your personal history) are considerations in everything local government does.

Reform, reform, reform

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern's Government had a considerable programme of reform and local government is a focus of this with Te Tiriti a key influence. The highest profile of these is ‘Three Waters'. New Zealand councils still provide most drinking and wastewater services.

Half of what Waitaki Council spends is on water and roads and generally physical infrastructure dominates New Zealand local government, with less prominence given to community wellbeing.

However, water is delivered to variable standards, with many councils, by virtue of political priorities or size, having under-invested in their water infrastructure. While some drinking water matches UK standards, many communities live under permanent boil water notices.

Between the under-investment in wastewater and the intensification of agriculture, the standard of freshwater has declined, impacting on the eco-system.

Maori values and New Zealand's clean green brand

Much of the reform around Three Waters' planning and environmental regulation seeks to address this while also introducing stronger co-governance. For rural communities such as Waitaki, this is a cause for much debate and division, as well as leading to divides in the local government community of councils.

A welcome reform is the Future for Local Government review. Requested by councils, this reform looks at the whole system of local governance, including councils but necessarily, the role of central Government in local communities with a view to building a system that is financially sustainable, better able to serve local communities, deal with the challenges they face, deliver improved community wellbeing and better national outcomes.

The review panel recently published its draft report. This draws on both New Zealand best practice and global examples to point a way to a different and better system of local government – one that is more engaging of communities and more focused on better economic, community and environmental outcomes.

The review is an opportunity for councils and communities to set a different path that might present lessons for the global community of local government.

Covid, community resilience and economic headwinds

Having spent just over half the pandemic in the UK and the rest in New Zealand, it is clear the two countries have had different Covid experiences.

Having successfully kept the virus out of New Zealand when I arrived in July 2021, there was a sense of Covid being a distant problem. Despite this, Covid has caused pressures and exposed divides in communities and New Zealand society.

Prominent in this was the Government's vaccine mandate policy, also implemented by many councils across the country, which saw some Kiwis lose their jobs and be excluded from services and social life.

However, Omicron is now among us and, despite the immense sense of fear within communities, the country has very quickly learned to deal with this and to start to get back to a sense of normality.

Some of the divides exposed by Covid remain and can be witnessed in debates around climate change, reforms and more generally in how people deal with their local councils.

New Zealand is a country coming to terms with a colonial history that does not make comfortable reading, particularly for those of us from the UK. This is necessary for the country to plot its way forward in the post-colonial era, but what route it takes is still under intense debate. Local government finds itself very much in the centre of this discussion.

Many in the sector are calling for greater empowerment of local government and communities to deal with the immediate economic and community challenges as well as provide longer-term solutions to problems.

Whatever route is taken, Te Ao Maori (the Maori world and culture) will play a key part and for me it offers many positive opportunities to have a different, better system of local government, that works for every community and all parts of the community.

Alex Parmley is chief executive of Waitaki District Council in New Zealand

@WaitakiDC