Media Statement
For Immediate Release

09 September 2009

ANGOA welcomes Government commitment to work with Sector

The Government's announcement to form an agreement with the community and voluntary Sector by the end of next year (2010) has been welcomed by ANGOA, the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations of Aotearoa.

The announcement is part of the Government’s positive response to the Good Intentions report that has been developed over several years by ANGOA, and the From Talk to Action report by the Building Better Government Engagement (BBGE) reference group.

ANGOA’s Good Intentions report outlines poor contracting practices, insufficient sector input into government policy making and poor government understanding of the sector as all hampering efficient and effective delivery to individuals and communities.

Marion Blake, Chairperson of ANGOA, said the Good Intentions report was the culmination of years of engagement with Sector organisations and individuals, all of whom were committed to building a stronger and healthier Aotearoa New Zealand community, and to working with government to achieve that.

Marion Blake said, “We commend Minister Turia for the strong role she is playing in this Government on behalf of the Sector, which includes organisations working in health, human rights, the environment, social development, community response to climate change, youth, disability support, women, ethnicity, international development, the peace movement and conservation. The sector includes tangata whenua organisations which are every bit as diverse as those that are responding to the aspirations, hopes and needs of mainstream NZ.

“Minister Turia has made great effort to come to grips with the issues we have raised and to help Government accept our recommendations.”

The report of the Building Better Government Engagement reference group (BBGE) confirms ANGOA’s view that poor consultation processes, limited knowledge of engagement methods and insufficient respect for community knowledge are at issue.

The BBGE report noted: ‘Central government agencies are not yet sufficiently committed to, and skilled at, collaborating with citizens and community organisations in order to jointly tackle societal problems.’

Dave Henderson, ANGOA Coordinator said, “This announcement, as well as the Government’s decision to accept other key recommendations from the report, is a positive step forward. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Len Cook, former Government Statistician, who gave much of his time to help bring the report to a form that would offer gains both for Government and for the sector.”

Dave Henderson acknowledged that government agencies did their best but many are hampered by traditional ways of operating that are based on a lack of understanding of the sector.

“It is vital that we can work together to further the development of New Zealand because the Sector plays such a great role in that work.”

ENDS

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