In the last month the Future for Local Government Review panel released its interim report: Ārewa ake te Kaupapa – Raising the platform (futureforlocalgovernment.govt.nz).
The panel has identified that in designing the most effective system of local governance for New Zealand’s future, several key questions will need to be considered:
- How should the system of local governance be reshaped so it can adapt to future challenges and enable communities to thrive?
- What are the future functions, roles and essential features of New Zealand’s system of local government?
- How might a system of local governance embody authentic partnership under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, creating conditions for shared prosperity and wellbeing?
- What needs to change so local government and its leaders can best reflect and respond to the communities they serve?
- What should change in local governance funding and financing to ensure viability and sustainability, fairness and equity, and maximum wellbeing?
Over the coming months the panel will engage with communities and organisations around the country about these questions to consider how the future system of local governance might most effectively create conditions that maximise wellbeing and prosperity. IPWEA NZ will be seeking to support this process and to emphasise to the panel the importance of effective asset management in contributing to the success of local government in meeting community expectations.
The Infrastructure Commission Te Waihanga has also just released its Draft New Zealand Infrastructure Strategy: 211012-Draft-New-Zealand-Infrastructure-Strategy.pdf (tewaihanga.govt.nz)
IPWEA NZ provided a submission to the development of this draft. The draft strategy recognises the need to build capability and capacity in asset management as one component in improving infrastructure delivery and comments that:
“Common procurement, delivery and asset management frameworks will lift performance and help building our competitiveness for talent.”
The strategy includes the following objective:
“Strengthen government client-side capability to plan, design and deliver projects Improve project outcomes by increasing public sector capability and excellence in infrastructure delivery by: a. Introducing comprehensive procurement, asset management and project management practitioner development frameworks and underpinning accreditation systems across government.”
IPWEA NZ will be seeking to engage with the Infrastructure Commission to further develop strategies and objectives as they relate to asset management and infrastructure delivery. We will be ensuring that the resources available to assist are well understood, including the International Infrastructure Management Manual (IIMM), our Digital Badge courses in asset management, as well as our IPWEA Australasian Asset Management Pathway which is recognised in the strategy as an international level benchmark for creating a consistent approach to asset management in New Zealand.
