Registrations are open to a public event as a part of what I think is NZ’s first attempt to develop political policy in an open forum directly involving the community, and using online technology.
The public event on 28 August in Wellington brings together ideas generated over the last four months on how to deliver open and transparent government.
OpenLabourNZ was launched via Red Alert at the end of April. It’s an experiment in how Labour can more deeply engage with the community and seek their input, by using new technologies and methods to increase participation and collaboration in developing policy.
While it will be a uniquely New Zealand event, the format is drawing on similar processes used in open government initiatives in Australia, the US and the UK.
To date, OpenLabourNZ has attracted hundreds of responses by blogs, Twitter and Facebook and direct communication with the Party.
We are serious about being open and transparent. This is a new initiative, but through it we hope to demonstrate that we mean business and will take the policy to the election and into government.
A series of high profile international and New Zealand speakers will be announced in the next few days.
Event details
The public event will be held at the Lion Harbourview Lounge on the second floor of the Michael Fowler Centre on Saturday 28 August from 10am – 3pm.
The event will also be streamed live over the Internet, so people who can’t be there in person can still participate. People participating from home will be able to do so using Twitter, Facebook and an online forum. Details about how to participate online will be announced soon.
If you are able to attend in person, please register as places are limited. You are asked to participate in good faith. This is a Labour Party focussed event but it is intended to attract a wide range of participants interested in the goal of open and transparent government and how to achieve that.
Registration is free, and you can register by emailing open@labour.org.nz
Yee haa!
space for us righties? – is is this a Labour only event. I continually offer constructive criticism here, and am happy to de-construct leftie unworkable policies that no doubt your faithful will dream up (aut in reality are unworkable)
Is this the Official NZ First blog site now?
@Monty the whole point of the event is to be open. It is open to all. But we ask that people treat the event in good faith. It’s not meant to be adversarial, it is about developing constructive policy and it will be well facilitated (not by me). So yes of course you can come. If you agree to the above.
Off thread and you are warned. Clare
Great that you’re doing this. Unfortunately I am booked into something else that weekend, so I wish you all luck.
Hi Clare, I think what labour are doing is admirable, but good debate requires logical arguments. Policy needs to understand both sides – if you just want a love fest of labour be my guest. I would love to go along, but I am not sure your devotees could handle the good faith deconstruction of policies.
I also look forward to labour losing the next few elections. Question – when you policy agenda is rejected in 2011 will labour then understand that populist policies that are unworkable (such as gust off fruit and veg) must be rejected?
Oh please Monty go, and let them film you
!!!
I’ll just leave this here.
Interesting BLiP –
I’m concerned how this kind of open this and open that is contributing to the idea stealing problem!
“I am not sure your devotees could handle the good faith deconstruction of policies.” Is a National policy by definition a good policy and a Labour policy by definition bad, is that what you mean by logical debate?
Monty I am not sure you are any more capable of genuinely addressing policy development with an open mind (I am not sure I could)than those here you accuse of not being able.
For example your first response is that you will deconstruct suggestions, rather than be open to the possibility that a policy you suggest might be welcomed, developed etc
You assume this event is not a chance for you to get some of your ideas across in a positive constructive way? Wouldnt that be a cool way to test the openess, to actually propose something new, of your own about direction and see how it develops within the context of the event?
Spud
To me, the important hting is that the idea is developed, evolves, adopted not whose idea it is. I would hate to think a great idea was sat on for years until in Government, how does that achieve the goal of advancing NZ for all?
Clare, this is really important work. I know it takes real intestinal fortitude to try and support a process that will involve so many interests. It is with great regret that I will not be able to attend. My wife is rather ill and I have no money free after going to the Open Government event. I would really like to see a similar OpenLabour event in Auckland if possible. Are there people in Labour willing to run something up here?
PS: Please support the Dunn idea; I know it sounds like tax breaks for the “rich”, but consider how unfair it is that single people get unemployment when let go, but married people, who are supporting a family, will end up being penalized for being married.
Aka; you are treated as a couple when it comes to benefits – being married means you can’t collect a unemployment benefit, but when it comes to income you are treated separate. Either treat couples as separate entities for both or together for both IMO.
Peace
I see what you are saying Peter and remember single people who may never have children do support the children of others through all kinds of society initiatives. I want to see more information on who is likely to really beenfit from this idea, in real terms. I think it should be compulsory when announcing anything like this to have not only case studies but population-wide statistics showing, and they must know cos they have to budget it, exactly who will really benefit.
Dunn always pokes his head out of the cushy canbinet role he has about this far out from an election.
I know I am jumping the gun, but a short list of pretty radical ideas for consideration:
• UBI universal basic income, complex tax schedule to work out but it would do away with the punitve benefit system
• move to full pay equity
• Restore all negative changes by national since Nact elected, including employer super fund contributions
• can WFF, restore full union rights to assist raising union density in private sector so that middle class has to organise for a living wage from employers rather than use tax base
• min wage to $15
• enable Meccas and Industry agreements as a form of the old ‘Awards’
• legislate against freeloaders and ‘replacement’ workers
• massive investment in public works, no PPPs
• Redundancy and dependent contractor legislation
in other words a lurch to the left. Cheers.