Simon Watts: A new approach to local priorities is needed

OPINION

The country has just held its local body elections and there has been plenty of commentary around the disappointing approval rates for city councils, low voter participation and the lack of candidates in some regions.

Local Government NZ president Stuart Crosby has joined the chorus calling for a review of the local body election processes after only 40 per cent of eligible New Zealanders voted. In one area of Auckland, fewer than 20 per cent of eligible people voted.

"I think it's very disappointing," Crosby said. "At central government elections, it's around 80 per cent, and at local government elections, it has been trending downwards.

"To that end we're certainly calling for some really in-depth research as to the why. This trend has been continuing. That is absolutely critical because once we understand the component parts that make up this decline we can look to make some redress. We all have different ideas as to why it's been declining, but again, an independent review is really required now."

It isn't surprising local government has reached this point when it has been starved of support and sidelined by central government for years.

The dedicated people who have committed to serving their communities have struggled with a growing list of often complex challenges. The odds have always been stacked against them as they struggle to address infrastructure problems and other issues that simply can't be financed through rates. They are trapped in an environment that lacks investment.

Because of this, vibrant and representative local democracy is under threat.

The people who run our councils aren't devoid of ideas; they have the insights and the networks to know what needs to happen to get critical projects under way and to re-energise their regions. What's needed is a new approach from central government.

Rather than blaming local authorities for not getting the job done, we need to get smarter about how we invest in our communities. This means targeting resources at those projects that will shift the needle in transport infrastructure, housing, and water resource management.

Instead of wasting money, we have to invest in ways that will energise local economies: attracting businesses, encouraging start-up enterprises and bringing every community, no matter how remote, into the digital age. This is how central government can really make a difference.

Rather than taxpayer dollars for schemes that won't work, we should be partnering with local authorities, iwi, and regional businesses and working with them to identify the roadblocks and evaluate where the opportunities for local growth are.

Approaches similar to this have been adopted in the UK and Australia, countries much larger than ours. Despite the geographic distance, devolved structures, and separate states, they have committed to engaging with the people on the ground.

Simon Watts. Photo / Laura Smith, File

Compared to these countries, New Zealand is a tight-knit, integrated and relatively connected country that would excel at centrally supported, locally generated growth.

Central government must step away from the lazy approach that's decided engaging at a local level is just too complicated. Government ministers need to accept that one-size-fits-all won't work. In fact, it's a sure way to waste billions of dollars.

This year, preliminary counting of votes showed turnout in the cities was down by 1.4 per cent to 36.4 per cent of potential voters overall. Rural turnout fell 7.5 per cent to 45 per cent and voting in provincial cities was down 6.5 per cent to 40 per cent of potential voters.

There is no easy fix to the problems in diverse communities, you have to get involved at ground zero and act like you've got skin in the game, instead of behaving like it's always someone else's money you're spending.

• Simon Watts is the MP for North Shore, National Party spokesperson for local government, and associate spokesperson for both finance and infrastructure.