Shaping local futures

This piece was originally published in Waikato Business News. Paula Southgate is an Honorary Senior Fellow at the Helen Clark Foundation.

I am unashamedly passionate about local government – the work it does, the issues it grapples with, and the opportunities it creates.

My entry into local government politics may have been incidental to my desire to improve my local community and environment, but 24 years later that commitment remains. I stood down from council to find other ways to add value and end 50+ hour weeks, but it will surprise no one that I still have strong views and plenty to say.

I have always believed in talking openly with communities about big, complex issues. In fact, I believe we fail communities when we avoid them. We need bold, open and diverse conversations about what matters, and we need people to participate.

The Helen Clark Foundation, alongside other think tanks, writers, podcasters and columnists, shares this belief. What we need more than ever – locally, nationally and beyond – is credible information that sparks thinking and debate. Debate matters. Politics is full of competing views, and that is not a weakness of democracy; it is its strength.

So, I am proud to be part of the foundation alongside some outstanding thought leaders, I said yes. The Foundation’s Honorary Fellows Programme brings together highly respected policy thinkers across a range of disciplines to contribute to the national conversation on long-term issues that matter to New Zealand. My role is to write opinion pieces, organise webinars and work with other fellows to provoke interest and discussion on important issues.

Local government is at a crossroads. Structural reform, infrastructure pressures and changing expectations of councils directly affect local communities.

People often try to pin me to a political party. They always have. The truth is I have never belonged to one. I have worked with blue, red and green governments as required, and I am pleased now to have this role with an independent, non-partisan think tank. Councils operate within legislation, policy and funding frameworks set by central government, regardless of who is in power. Mayors and elected members must engage with government constructively and, at times, challengingly. I did both.

I don’t want to talk at people. I want to challenge assumptions, provoke reaction and get people talking with each other, with the foundation or with councils themselves, I don’t mind.

Ratepayers should vote, but this is not enough. Participation in council decision-making is disappointingly low. Submissions are few, engagement tools are underused, despite genuine effort from communications teams, and brave attempts by elected members.

I have worked across many issues with committed people from councils, organisations and across political lines. I intend to use my experience to help drive turgently needed community conversations.

I love local government. Most elected members want better communities. Progress is possible – but only if we keep talking.