Future of local govt employees in Northland uncertain

Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta would not be drawn on the future of Northland councils pending the review. Photo / NZME

The futures of more than 1000 people working in Northland local government is under the spotlight as the Government shifts up a gear on New Zealand's biggest sector review in three decades.

Far North District Council (FNDC), Kaipara District Council (KDC), Whangārei District Council (WDC) and Northland Regional Council (NRC) collectively employ about 1200 people across the region.

They also between them have three elected mayors, one council chair, 38 councillors and 19 community board members.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta yesterday said the government was now starting the public engagement phase of a roughly two-year review of local government, the first since the late 80s.

She would not be drawn on the number of councils likely to remain in Northland as a result of the review.

Neither would she comment on whether there would be one single council or unitary authority for the region.

Mahuta said the Government had not prescribed in its sector review how local governance in Northland would look at the end of a roughly two-year process.

Her comments came ahead the review's next step - a roughly year-long national public engagement with councils, Māori, business, government sector, health, community and more about the future of the country's local government.

They follow yesterday's release of an interim local government review report after an initial six-month review phase from April to September this year.

The interim report said it considered how New Zealand's system of local democracy and governance would need to evolve over the next 30 years - to improve New Zealanders' wellbeing and actively embody Treaty of Waitangi partnership.

It was critical of local government Treaty relationships.

"At a local government level, the Treaty relationship still falls short of meeting Māori aspirations and expectations," the report said.

Government has now started public engagement into a review of local government. Photo / John Stone

Current statutory and institutional arrangements did not provide for adequate Māori representation or input into decision making, or for sufficient protection of Māori rights, interests and wellbeing, it said.

The local government review comes at the same time as other huge change, in particular reform of how drinking water, wastewater and stormwater is provided for New Zealanders.

The Government wants to shift these functions from councils and put them into four large inter-regional bodies.

It also comes with a national Resource Management Act (RMA) review with clear preference for local government "rationalisation along regional lines", the interim report said.

RMA change would bring improved efficiency, economies from pooling resources and better coordination. These reforms would have significant implications for all local authorities and could threaten the financial sustainability of some, the report said.

Local governance, rather than local government was a context for regions' futures. This included those from among sectors being asked to contribute as part of shaping local government's future.

"It is an opportunity to look beyond local government and consider local governance, encompassing all organisations with rights and responsibilities to guide their communities," the report said.

Better collaboration was needed.

Climate change was a crucial consideration going forward. Thousands of homes were potentially affected by some of its impacts, as was much public infrastructure.

"These impacts reduce economic output and impose significant costs on local communities," the report said.

Climate change bore heavily on local government.

The review was an important opportunity to align local and central government public service objectives.

Future wellbeings in areas such as health were an important consideration for the future of local governance.

Wellbeing was not shared equally among New Zealand communities.

"In order to maximise social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing now and into future generations, new approaches to local governance will be needed," the report said.