Thu 26 Mar 2015 In: New Zealand Daily News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A month before a bid for a Rainbow Panel is to go before Auckland Council, the Mayor is expressing support for the advisory panel system. Len Brown is giving advisory panels the thumbs up There has been criticism of the panels’ actual effectiveness, with the Chair of the Ethnic People’s Advisory Panel stepping down last week saying it’s a waste of ratepayers’ money. He said the panel had no legal mandate, was a ‘token’ panel and was ineffectual. Another member of that panel has left, while Auckland lesbian and disability advocate Huhana Hickey has left the disability panel, because she feels its independence had been significantly watered down - and can no longer make external submissions. Mayor Len Brown says Auckland Council’s advisory panels have an important contribution to make to Auckland. He met with their chairs yesterday, and says he supports the “excellent work” they are doing on behalf of their communities. The Mayor says a few operational improvements have been identified, and will be made. “One of the fundamental improvements is making sure that the council closes the feedback loop for panels, that we give them better information on what has happened with their advice,” Brown says. “I am satisfied that the panels are well-positioned to continue to play an important role in Auckland governance.” Brown has already spoken out in favour of adding a Rainbow advisory board. Currently Auckland Council has Disability, Pacific, Youth, Rural, Ethnic and Seniors panels. Councillors will vote on whether to add a Rainbow Panel next month. It would be made up of one Chair and 12 members, with a start-up cost of $35,000 and ongoing cost of $70,000 - $80,000 a year, with the biggest cost being a Democracy Advisor. If formally approved, it will provide a local government platform from which to address issues of significance to Auckland’s lgbti community. Among the critics of adding a Rainbow Panel are a number of councillors, including Cameron Brewer, George Wood and Calum Penrose, and the Taxpayers’ Union, who think the Council should be cutting costs and focusing on core services, rather than adding new panels. Stephen Berry, a gay former Mayoral candidate and spokesman for Affordable Auckland, believes it’s time to review the existence of all Council advisory groups. “Auckland Council should not be in the business of creating special interests which get a greater hearing than other concerned individuals,” he says. “It is clear that seniors, gays and Pacific people all need their rubbish collected. We don’t need a special advisory board for each group to convey that.” Councillor Cathy Casey, who has championed the Rainbow Panel proposal, says it’s a logical and necessary evolution of the Rainbow Door Reference Group which was established in 2010. “The Rainbow Door Group has provided an invaluable service by offering an informal forum for both rainbow and mainstream service providers to meet with the council to discuss concerns, issues and opportunities. But it’s time to take that to the next level.” Casey says the Council has a responsibility to represent all groups within Auckland, “and I want to ensure we have the widest possible representation of the lgbti community through the creation of this new panel.” OUTLine, the Charlotte Museum, GABA, Body Positive, Auckland Pride Festival Inc, the Rainbow Tick and trans Auckland Lexie Matheson have also spoken out in support of the proposed advisory board.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 26th March 2015 - 10:02am