Consultation and research: A Frustrating Reality
The Antidote to Apathy
October 19th, 2011
In this short but insightful TED speech, Dave Meslin outlines why people shy away from public engagement and argues that it is not because people are too selfish, stupid or lazy.
Meslin blames the authorities and institutions who implement processes which intentionally exclude people from actively participating.
Meslin says that part of the blame lies with the fact that current consultation processes can act as barriers to public feedback.
Let's start with city hall. You ever see one of these before? This is a newspaper ad. It's a notice of a...
Citizens Panels in New Zealand – Complimentary Research Report
September 5th, 2011
As part of the launch of PublicVoice we have compiled a special research report into the use of Citizens' Panels in New Zealand.
This report supports the use of Citizens’ Panels as a consultation tool for local government. It summarises the legislative context for consultation, and the way in which councils currently meet their obligations to consult the community. It describes the concept of a Citizens’ Panel, and the advantages of using a Panel. The report concludes with a case study of the Citizens’ Panel developed by Palmerston North City Council.
A copy of this 18 page report is now available.
If you would like a...
PublicVoice Launches Citizens’ Panel for Manawatu District Council
August 25th, 2011
Recruitment has now been completed for the new Manawatu District Council PublicVoice Citizens' Panel.The aim of the Panel is to to simply gauge the views of the wider community and access the views of the silent majority.
Community Services Group Manager, Brent Limmer says that "they know that a lot of people let us know what they think through the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan process, but we want to have a quick and easy way of hearing from a greater number of the silent majority, who don’t tend to make submissions or get involved."
The email panel will allow us to send...