Ministerial Review into the Future of Local Government

Impact summary

My commissioned addresses and discussion papers for this Review, established by the New Zealand Minister of Local Government in 2021 extensively influenced the Review Panel's draft report to the Minister of Local Government in 2022.

Research and engagement activities leading to impact

I was invited to address the Ministerial Review Panel and secretariat in 2021 (Output 1 below). From this invitation, I was commissioned to research and write a 10,000 word discussion paper (output 2), which the Panel published and used to inform its public engagement with Maori communities across New Zealand.

Research outputs associated with the impact

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

2. 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.

3. O’Sullivan, D. Invited discussion with the New Zealand Ministerial Review Panel into the Future of Local Government on my paper ‘Rangatiratanga, Citizenship and a Crown that is ‘Māori too’: Boldness and the Future of Local Government’, 7 April 2022.

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

5. O’Sullivan, D. Local Government Reform: rangatiratanga, citizenship and participation over partnership. Address to staff of the Waikato Regional Council, 23 June 2022.

6. O’Sullivan, D. Rangatiratanga, Citizenship and a Crown that is Maori too: reflections on the future for local government review. Address to Koi Tu: the Centre for Informed Futures, University of Auckland, 2 September 2022.

Researcher involvement

I was solely responsible for this work.

Outcomes of research leading to impact

The outcomes are as above and also the Panel's draft report to the Minister of Local Government 'He mata whāriki, he matawhānui' published in 2022. The report references my discussion paper and draws heavily on my ideas on citizenship, democracy and participatory parity to make recommendations to the Minister on how local government may be arranged to give effect to the Treaty of Waitangi (https://www.futureforlocalgovernment.govt.nz/assets/Reports/Draft-report-final.pdf).

Beneficiaries of the impact

The Ministerial Review into the Future for Local Government, the Minister of Local Government, the New Zealand public.

Details of the impact achieved

This is a draft report intended to lead to a comprehensive review of the Local Government Act. A final report will be provided to the Minister in 2023. However, at this point my impact on the draft reflects a significant contribution and public debate. Both papers are noted by Tauranga City Council as ‘essential’ to shaping the Review and were the subject of an invited address to 80 staff of the Waikato Regional Council. In 2022, I delivered an invited lecture on the papers to Members of Parliament in the Victoria University of Wellington Graduate Certificate in Public Policy. My Conversation article on guaranteed Maori representation on local authorities is among the Panel’s recommended readings. The Panel’s draft report and recommendations to the Minister of Local Government refer to my elaboration and contextualisation of participatory parity and differentiated liberal citizenship. The recommendations drawn directly from my paper include that the functions of local government be reviewed to establish which of these should be carried out by Maori political communities rather than councils. Furthermore, that councils be required to ensure that Maori values and epistemologies influence council operating procedures, including standing orders. My recommendation that local communities, rather than Maori people generally, enjoy guaranteed representation on councils was also put to the minister.

Impact date	2021
Category of impact	Public policy Impact
Impact level	National