The power of the community and voluntary sector should not be underestimated, says Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Steve Maharey.
In 1996, 1.1 million New Zealanders had undertaken some form of voluntary unpaid work, Mr Maharey told the annual meeting of the Palmerston North Community Services Council.
The country had 60,000 community organisations and $1.3 billion a year was being provided to the sector by government agencies and other funding streams.
The sector provided a "voice for the voiceless" and gave citizens the opportunity to participate in and enrich the life of their community, he said.
The Government was setting out to renew and revitalise its relationship with the community and voluntary sector and had set up a working party on the sector, launched last week.
Former Waitakere City deputy mayor Dorothy Wilson will chair the working party, which includes seven community representatives and three senior public servants.
"This is a very significant undertaking. In essence the working party has been charged with producing a document that will establish a new foundation for the relationship," said Mr Maharey.
"The group will explore concrete ways to improve the relationship and then consult with the sector on their recommendations."
Mr Maharey said people no longer accepted that the Government had all the answers.
- NZPA
Government gets behind community and voluntary sectors
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