Ministerial Review into the Future for Local Government, Final Outcome, 2023.

Impact summary

I was commissioned to deliver a seminar, then write a 10,000 word public discussion paper for the Ministerial Review into the Future for Local Government. Its final report was presented to the Minister of Local Government in 2023. The panel's technical report said that my seminar and discussion papers 'substantially informed' its thinking (Ministerial Review, 2023, p. 3). My papers' development of participatory parity and democratic participation inclusive of Maori people, epistemologies and political communities was reflected in the final report's discussion and recommendations to the minister. The local government professional workers' association, Local Government Professionals Aotearoa, recommends my discussion paper to its members as a professional development resource.

Research and engagement activities leading to impact

These were conducted and submitted in an earlier RPI reference period.

Research outputs associated with the impact

O’Sullivan, D. Rangatiratanga, Citizenship and a Crown that is ‘Māori too’: Boldness and the Future of Local Government. Discussion Paper for the New Zealand Ministerial Review Panel into the Future for Local Government. Wellington. Department of Internal Affairs, 2022.

O’Sullivan, D. How would local government arrangements need to change to promote tino rangatiratanga/mana motuhake? Published address to the New Zealand Ministerial Review into the Future for Local Government, 2 December 2021.

Researcher involvement

I conceptualised, researched and wrote both papersas sole author.

Outcomes of research leading to impact

Review into the Future for Local Government (2023) He piki tūranga, he piki kōtuku,
Wellington: New Zealand.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Future-for-Local-Government/$file/Te-Arotake_Final-report.pdf

Review into the Future for Local Government (2023) Technical Report, Wellington: New Zealand.
https://www.dia.govt.nz/diawebsite.nsf/Files/Future-for-Local-Government/$file/technical-report-20June2023.pdf

Local Government Professionals Aotearoa, LG Sector GoodtoolKit.
https://www.lgsectorgoodtoolkit.nz/engagement/

Beneficiaries of the impact

Ministerial Review into the Future for Local Government, Minister of Local Government, public understanding, discourse and debate, and Local Government Professionals Aotearoa.

Details of the impact achieved

The panel's technical report said that my seminar and discussion papers 'substantially informed' the thinking in its report to the Minister of Local Government (Ministerial Review, 2023, p. 3). My papers' development of participatory parity and democratic participation inclusive of Maori people, epistemologies and political communities was reflected in the final report's discussion and recommendations to the minister.The local government professional workers' association, Local Government Professionals Aotearoa, recommends my discussion paper to its members as a professional development resource.

Impact date	2023
Category of impact	Public policy Impact