DecisionMaker 2013 - How central government works locally.

The concept guiding DecisionMaker 2013 is to put local government reform in context - focusing on "How central government works locally". Former Governors-General of New Zealand have said "Just as we expect democracy to work for us, we have to work for our democracy".

Since DecisionMaker Kaiwhakatau Guides began providing citizenship education on handling local issues in New Zealand, local government law and practice have changed. DecisionMaker Guides have provided navigational tools and knowledge for diverse citizens since 1990 – and innovation with each post general election edition. A special feature for the 2013 edition provides for a team to prepare educational content on how central local relations work, extending the value of traditional DecisionMaker sections online, in print and other media. Prime Minister Key and Local Government New Zealand President Lawrence Yule illustrate the relationship in briefings in preparation for DecisionMaker 2013.

Sections of content in DecisionMaker 2013.
• Introductions
• The big picture
• Pacific citizens
• How Parliament works
• How Councils work
• How central government works locally
• How government works
• How law works

Implemetation plans for the concept will follow discussions with stakeholders.

Click here to read the Foreword, initially written to the 2003 DecisionMaker Guide to Parliament and Government, by then Governor-General, Dame Silvia Cartwright.

Subsequently, Rt Hon Sir Anand Satyanand, GNZM, QSO, Governor-General of New Zealand until 2011, wrote the Foreword to the Citizenship education – DecisionMaker Guides chapter of Being Palangi: My Pacific Journey in Wellington on 4 August 2011. Being Palangi, the forthcoming memoir by Anthony Haas, was written in 2011-2012.

The visions set by Governors-General will guide the citizenship education role of DecisionMaker 2013.

Updated 19 July, 2012