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Making a LGOIMA Request
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Who is subject to LGOIMA?
Who may make LGOIMA requests? What does a LGOIMA request look like? And...
what is official information?
The Office of the
Ombudsman has prepared a wonderful resource to help you understand the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
Click
here to download a copy of this resource.
Council Watch also has information on the
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, which you can find
here.
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"It's OK to Complain"
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At the Wellington conference the Chief
Ombudsman highlighted that her office is currently dealing with 2,000 active
cases... HOWEVER she went to pains to tell the delegates that it is always
okay to make a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman.
Ms Wakem has kindly sent us a resource to
explain the process for making a complaint.
Click
here to download a copy of this resource.
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Over the
fence... are your neighbours
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Despite the unusual name
(no, we don't know what it's supposed to mean either) this free
online resource contains a lot of good information and guidelines regarding the law and
neighbourhood disputes.
Included in the document is
information on: Boundaries and encroachments, Fences, Nuisance and trespass,
Use of land and buildings (including resource management law), Legal
remedies against neighbours, Advice on how to prevent neighbourhood
disputes.
Click
here to download
a copy of this brochure.
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Community Law Centres
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There are several Community Law Centres
scattered across New Zealand. They are independent and can be a useful
first stop if you have been asked for help by one of your residents that might
require a legal opinion.
They have a number of online resources that
are well-researched and free. Visit
here to view them. |
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Tell your residents how easy it is to enrol. Order brochures,
posters, forms, get more information from Elections NZ or get
one of their friendly staff to talk to people you know.
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Council WatchTM
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In addition to resources
found here, Council Watch contains a lot of useful
information that could help your organisation. Simply
choose from the area of interest below and a new window will
open in your browser.
There is a lot more information on the
site - click the logo above to visit the home page and start exploring! |
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Speech to the 2010 Residents'
Association Wellington Conference - Pat Hanley
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Where did the rabble-rousers, radicals,
and reprobates that dare defy authority come from?
You will be fascinated to learn that the
concept of 'Civil Society' as we know it today stems from the anti-slavery
movement of 19th Century Britain.
Pat Hanley, Chair of the Social and Civic
Policy Institute, has prepared a paper on civil society that was presented
in part at the Residents2010 conference.
Click
here to download a copy of Pat's paper on local governance.
Click
here to visit the Social and Civic
Policy Institute website.
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Speech to the 2010 Residents'
Association Wellington Conference - Chief Ombudsman
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"From where I sit as an
Ombudsman, looking out over New Zealand and the nature and quality of
transactions between the governed and the governing, I am more than ever
convinced that residents’ associations play a very valuable role, in what is
an increasingly fragmented society, in educating the wider community about
issues which will affect them and in reflecting their concerns to Councils
at every level. "
Click
here to download a complete copy of Ms. Wakem's closing speech.
Click
here to visit the Office of the
Ombudsmen's website.
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Media Releases
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Residents’
associations call for closer ties, better communication
16 April 2010
A conference
held for residents’ associations in Wellington has called for a working
party to be formed to discuss how to tackle the increasing rift between
local government and communities.
Full media release available
here.
Community
leaders positive on the future of democracy
11 April 2010
New
Zealand’s inaugural conference of residents’ associations attracted over 40
organisations on the weekend and sends a strong message to the local
government sector: work with us or face the consequences.
Full media release available
here.
Chief
Ombudsmen to Address Residents Association Conference
8 March 2010
Chief Ombudsman Beverley Wakem will
provide the keynote address to a gathering of residents’ association
representatives at a conference in parliament next month.
Full media release available
here.
Residents'
Groups Conference a Wellington First for New Zealand
17 February 2010
Wellington will play host New Zealand’s first ever conference for
residents’ and ratepayers’ associations, in the Grand Hall at parliament in
April this year.
The event is being organised by the Federation of Wellington Progressive
and Residents Associations (FWPRA) to provide a forum for people involved in
local democracy and community activism to meet, network, and discuss
critical issues mostly involving local government.
Full media release available
here.
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