Youth want say on supercity

BY JANIE SMITH

Auckland’s young people want to make sure they aren’t left behind when Auckland’s supercity is formed next year.

Members of the Auckland city, Waitakere city and North Shore youth councils and the Manukau and Rodney youth forums have met to discuss their views on the supercity.

Auckland City Youth Council deputy chairwoman Nive Sharat Chandran was one of four representatives who
compiled their submission to the government on the proposal.

She says the youth want an overarching Auckland Youth Council, which would be made up of representatives from each local body.

There would be youth representatives on each of the proposed local boards which will replace community boards and someone who would sit on the Auckland Council with speaking, but not voting rights.

The submission calls for youth consultation to be mandatory under law when the council is developing policies relating to youth.

"By ensuring youth participation and engagement in local government today, we can also ensure future participation of generations to come.

"This is also a great way to address the significant decline in youth participation in local and central government," says the submission.

It also asks for a youth transition agency to be set up with members aged between 12 and 24 to help the council set up the Auckland Youth Council, local territorial youth councils and youth representation on local boards.

Nive says under the current system, youth get heard by the Auckland City Council "to a certain extent" and although the two groups have a good relationship, it could be better.

She says the current youth council has a range of diverse people on it, including high school and university students.

Mayor John Banks hopes to lead the new Auckland Council and has been meeting with different community sectors.

He says all groups will need to be included in the decision-making of the new council.

"It is very important that all of the communities of interest throughout greater Auckland are well represented by the new council.

"To become a true supercity, we need to include all of the diverse communities in order to get the best quality decision-making that represents the aspirations of the diverse groups that make up the city, especially the young people who are the city’s future."

YouthLaw also provided a supplementary paper to go with the young people’s submission.

Nive and fellow submission compilers Joseph Bergin, Sharon Ryan and Kheng Lee Ho have asked to speak on their submission when it goes before the select committee.

• Youth who want to have a say on the supercity are invited to a free event at the Dalmatian Cultural Society clubrooms in Mt Eden tomorrow. The event, which runs from noon until 5.30pm, is being hosted by the Auckland Youth Directed Environmental Organisation and facilitated by Auckland Central MP Nikki Kaye.

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