Auckland Council has opened consultation for their annual budget (consultation closes 11pm, 28 March) and we’d like to strongly encourage you to have your say. We are concerned that these cuts will significantly affect young people in your rohe, as well as their whānau, community, and potentially you as well.
The proposal cuts or reduces funding for:
- ECE (Early Childhood Education)
- education services (in libraries, experience centres and sustainability education)
- outdoor experiences supporting young people
- COMET
- the Southern and Western Initiative
- sports, arts and culture programmes
- events (such as Music In Park and CultureFest)
- council’s operational response to homelessness.
Our concerns:
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi: These proposed cuts will see a huge impact to the wellbeing of Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau who access these services/ support from these organisations. The increasing population of Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau will be further disadvantaged by these shortsighted proposed cuts.
- Impact on wellbeing of young people: The proposed cuts and reductions of funding are short sighted and will impact both directly and negatively on the wellbeing of rangatahi and their whānau across Tāmaki Makaurau. Key relationships and programmes will be stripped from young people who are already vulnerable due to the impacts of the floods, Covid-19 and the cost of living
- Youth Development works: The youth development sector is committed to ethical youth development practice, aligned to the principles of Mana Taiohi and The Code of Ethics for Youth Work in Aotearoa. These practices are evidence based, informed by Te Ao Māori and based on the voices of both Rangatahi and those who work with them. These approaches are preventative and proven to work long term. Implementing budget cuts diminishes the impact of youth development and adds further strain on the already streteched youth sector to support rangatahi in Tāmaki Makaurau.
- Process and timing: The speed and transparency of the process for consultation places huge pressure on the community including young people to ensure their voices are heard. Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child gives children and young people the right to express their views freely in matters which affect them. The Mana Taiohi principles and in particular the principle of Whai Wāhitanga outline how effective youth voice and participation can be established.
- Real cost: The real cost of the proposed cuts has not been taken account of. In the long term the proposed cuts will cost Council significantly due to the failure to invest in the social fabric that supports Rangatahi and their whānau to thrive.
- It also reduces grant funding and requires local boards to cut funding, which may result in less services being provided in community facilities, shorter opening hours and increased fees to use these facilities.
Other helpful information: