In our reading room we publish a 1994 paper which sets out principles for effective consultation which should be central to DHB decision-making. The expected changes in the relationship between central and local government may take a further step forward this week with the first of the forums between the leaders of the two sectors. Local government will be looking for signs that central government has the will and the capacity to deliver on its pre-election promises. Currently signs are mixed with some evidence that central government simply lacks the policy making capacity to move quickly in this area. At the heart of this is a set of very strong reservations about the output model developed by the previous government to govern the relationship between ministers and departments.
Housing is set to be one of the new government's more challenging areas.
Advisors are currently working on ways to resolve this problem which is compounded by the cost of developing new housing in high cost areas such as South Auckland. Public ownership and the community March 2000 Peter McKinlay's book Public Ownership and the Community was launched by the The Hon. Bill English, Treasurer on 8 July 1999. We are pleased to report that the book is leading to a major reappraisal of the role of trusts and their accountability, as well as to a broader reconsideration of the ownership and management of public wealth held outside central government. It is possible already to identify some very specific initiatives resulting from the book with the potential to change quite fundamentally the way in which communities think about the wealth held on their behalf.