Our Significance and Engagement Policy is required under the Local Government Act 2002 (the LGA).
The policy:
- identifies how and when communities can expect to be engaged in, or specifically consulted on, decisions about issues, proposals, assets, decisions and activities;
- enables the council and our communities to understand the significance that the council places on certain issues, proposals, assets, decisions, and activities.
We gather information about the views and preferences of Auckland’s diverse communities in many ways and use this information to inform our decisions. We consult or engage on a wide range of specific decisions because we recognise how important they are to our communities, or because we are required to by statute.
We view engagement as a genuine dialogue with our diverse communities to help us make better decisions. Public input is important in ensuring our decisions reflect the aspirations of mana whenua, residents, ratepayers, community groups and businesses. We are committed to meeting our broad legal obligations to Māori including responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, the Treaty of Waitangi. The council recognises these responsibilities are distinct from the Crown’s and fall within a local government Tāmaki Makaurau context. We also recognise the enduring presence, aspirations, and cultural obligations of mana whenua as kaitiaki (stewards) in Tāmaki Makaurau. We work with the Independent Māori Statutory Board on matters that affect Māori, and takes into account their advice.
Auckland’s increasing diversity is an important consideration for many engagement processes and we regularly refine our tools and methods so that we can engage more effectively with groups and communities who have often been less involved in council decisions.
