Kia tutahi - Standing together national Community-Government Forum - 11 November 2009

The forum provided an opportunity for the community sector, government officials, the Prime Minister and Ministers to discuss the Government’s response to the following recent reports:

• Good Intentions - An Assessment of the Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship 
  – by the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in Aotearoa (ANGOA)
• From Talk to Action: Government Engagement with Citizens and Communities – by the Building Better Government Engagement reference group.

On 31 August 2009, Cabinet agreed that a national Community-Government Forum would discuss possible development of a Relationship Agreement to replace the 2001 Statement of Government Intentions for an Improved Community-Government Relationship.   A relationship agreement could include a joint vision for working together, respective roles and responsibilities, and commitments from both sides.

 » Read the Cabinet paper and minute: Government Commitment to Building Strong Community Relationships

Whakapakari Hapori, Marohirohi Kawanatanga
Stronger Communities, Stronger Government

The forum explored the key elements that might be in a Relationship Agreement, and the steps in the process to develop it.

Topics discussed in the morning were:

• Government’s response to the ANGOA and BBGE Reports
• What elements should be in a Relationship Agreement?
• Who is involved in the Relationship Agreement?

The afternoon programme invited participants to discuss:

• How do we get there?
• How do we want the Relationship Agreement to work?

Themes emerging from the caucus discussions included:

The need for a robust process

• Participants wanted to see something happen quickly that would build on what has gone before. However, they cautioned that there needs to be enough time to “ensure the waka is moving forward and we all participate in the journey”. They stressed the importance of the sector and government working together.
• Wide participation of the sector at all levels and in particular by marginalised groups, Pasifika, ethnic and disabled populations, was considered essential. Participants emphasised the need for extensive engagement and consultation with the sector on a draft agreement. Tangata whenua participants stressed that Mäori should determine their own pathway. Some participants wondered whether the agreement would include local government.
• Varying views were expressed about leadership of the process to develop a relationship agreement. Some preferred a joint steering group comprising both community and government representatives, whilst others suggested a community-led process, perhaps initiated by the Community Sector Taskforce.

A values-based agreement

• Participants strongly emphasised the need for values to underpin an agreement, in particular respect, trust and inclusiveness, and for it to acknowledge the power imbalance between the parties, and the Treaty of Waitangi.
• No specific proposals emerged for the structure of an agreement. Some participants favoured an agreement built on a framework of principles, with associated subsidiary documents.

Implementation of an agreement

• Participants indicated that further discussion is needed about who in the community and voluntary sector would be identified to sign-up to the final document.
• Once signed, a mechanism is needed to measure whether the agreement is working and to hold government accountable. Participants were concerned that the agreement should be sustainable in the long-term and  'future-proofed' against changes in Government. They expected Government to provide genuine, committed leadership to implement the agreement’s intent.

See below for the fuller notes from the morning and afternoon caucus discussions.

The forum steering group met on 7 December to discuss the caucus notes, key themes that emerged and the evaluations.  

A new steering group will be established in the new year to lead the next steps. It will be guided by the Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector on how to proceed with work to develop a Relationship Agreement between the government and the community sector.  This will be an inclusive process involving a wide range of people from the community sector and government.

 

A discussion paper written by Pat Hanley was distributed to some participants at the forum.  It was not part of the official information pack, and does not represent the views of the forum steering group. We provide it here as information for those people who requested it, and as a contribution to the ongoing discussions.

Discussion about what should be included in a proposed Relationship Agreement between the community sector and Government has begun online at two websites. 

Community Central and the Community Sector Taskforce are both hosting online discussions about who should sign an Agreement and what should be included in one. 

The online discussions are one of the ways for people who attended the forum AND people from the wider community sector to have a say­ as the process to develop an agreement progresses. Other opportunities to be involved in the development and provide feedback will also be available in 2010.

» Participate in the Relationship Agreement discussion on Community Central

» Have your say about a Relationship Agreement on the Community Sector Taskforce website

Participants included community and voluntary organisations, government agencies, the Prime Minister and Ministers.

In total, around 230 participants attended the forum, including more than 160 people from the community sector and 60 government officials. In addition to the Prime Minister John Key and Minister Turia, the following Ministers also attended part of the forum: the Hon. Paula Bennett, Hon. Peter Dunne, Hon. Phil Heatley, Hon. Steven Joyce, Hon. Tony Ryall, Hon. Dr Pita Sharples and the Hon Pansy Wong. 

Names of individual participants are listed in the morning and afternoon caucus discussion notes above.

Expressions of interest from possible attendees from the community and voluntary sector were sought during August and September 2009. People were asked to provide information about their organisation, the regions, population groups and/or sub-sectors they identify with (suggested areas shown below), and details on how they might assist post-forum.  Expressions of interest were considered by the forum steering group as numbers were limited and needed to balance a range of representation from different localities, sub-sectors and population groups, so not all those who wished to attend were able to. 

Regional breakdown

• Northland
• Auckland
• Waikato
• Bay of Plenty
• East Coast
• Central
• Taranaki
• Wellington
• Nelson
• Canterbury
• Southern

 

Population groups

• Māori
• Pacific peoples
• Ethnic minorities
• Disabled people
• Women
• Youth and children
• Older people.

 

 

 

Sub-sectors of the community sector

• Sports, culture and arts, recreation and social clubs
• Education and research
• Social services
• Health
• Environment
• Development and housing
• Grant-making, fundraising and volunteer promotion
• Religion
• Business, professional associations and unions.

 

Groups listed above are indicative only and attendance was not restricted to only these groups - a wide variety of people and interests attended the forum.

 

The Steering Group working with the OCVS to organise the forum was:

• Agnes Granada – Migrant Action Trust Auckland
• Brian Gardner – National Network of Stopping Violence
• Dave Henderson – Association of Non-Governmental Organisations in Aotearoa (ANGOA)
• Geoff Barry – Surf Life Saving NZ
• Hadyn Smith – Land Search and Rescue
• Iris Pahau – Community Sector Taskforce
• Parekotuku Moore – National Network of Stopping Violence
• Sam Sefuiva – Community Sector Taskforce
• Tina Reid – NZ Federation of Voluntary Welfare Organisations (NZFVWO)
• Wendi Wicks – Disabled Persons Assembly, an umbrella organisation representing people with disabilities, the organisations involved in advocacy on their behalf, and service providers 

• Janice Roxburgh-Gair – Department of Internal Affairs
• Mary McCulloch – Department of Internal Affairs
• Alasdair Finnie – Chair of Steering Group, OCVS
• Cath Sim – Ministry of Social Development (MSD)
• David Smith – Ministry of Social Development (MSD)  
• Diana Suggate – OCVS
• Gabrielle Benson – OCVS
• Iris Webster – OCVS.