Plenary sessions
Understand the reform agenda, the funding constraints and how councils are responding on the ground.
Plenary 1: Reimagine – The forces shaping local government
Sponsored by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
Change is happening fast, and it’s reshaping what councils do and how they do it. Population shifts, economic pressures, climate challenges, ageing infrastructure and major reforms are all having an impact. This opening session brings together experts to set the scene for conference.
Beyond the Numbers: The New Zealand that’s emerging
Carl Davidson, Chief Curiosity Officer and Critical Thinking Champion, The Curiosity Company
Most conversations about the future start with demographics. Carl Davidson looks beyond the numbers to explore the social shifts changing how people engage with institutions, communities and each other. His session will challenge delegates to think differently about the world councils are operating in and the mindset needed to lead through change.
When the ground shifts: leading with clarity
Traci Houpapa, Chair, Te Arawa Group Holdings
Change is constant, and good leadership is about knowing what matters most. Drawing on her experience across governance, business and community leadership, Traci Houpapa will explore how leaders can stay grounded, make sound decisions and provide stability when expectations, politics and priorities are shifting.
Climate and community: Planning for what’s next
Robin Campbell, General Manager, Climate Commission
Climate, infrastructure, the economy and communities are all changing at once. Robin Campbell will unpack the forces shaping New Zealand's future and what they mean for the decisions local leaders are making today. Grounded in evidence and focused on practical action, her session will look at how communities can prepare for what lies ahead.
Building for tomorrow
Ben Hayward, CEO, Fulton Hogan
New Zealand faces major infrastructure challenges, from growth pressures and ageing assets to increasing expectations from communities. Ben Hayward will share perspectives from the front line of delivering infrastructure, including the opportunities and obstacles facing the sector and what it will take to build for the future.
Panel: Deep dive into the forces shaping local government with keynote speakers
Transforming the public service: Five lessons for local government
Sir Brian Roche, Public Service Commissioner of New Zealand
Public sector debates are often the focus on symptoms such as the number of agencies, headcounts and politics. Sir Brian Roche's session will focus on the root causes of what holds the public sector in New Zealand back from progress. Drawing on lessons from across government, crisis responses and major reform programmes, Sir Brian explores why good intentions don't always translate into better outcomes, and why digital transformation is only valuable if it changes how people and organisations work together. For local government leaders, this session offers an honest assessment of the challenges ahead and a practical discussion about the opportunities hiding inside them.
Panel: Local government reflections
Sir Brian Roche, Public Service Commissioner of New Zealand
Mayor Tim Macindoe, Hamilton City Council
Mayor Nadine Taylor, Marlborough District Council
Plenary 2: Reset – Creating a stronger local government
Rates caps, regional reorganisation and rising expectations are prompting councils to rethink how they work and where they focus effort. This session looks at what a stronger, more financially sustainable local government system could look like. Drawing on experiences from New Zealand and overseas, we’ll share practical ideas for delivering regional and territorial authority functions well, while making the most of limited resources and maintaining public trust.
Iwi relationships: When transactional is a good place to start
Tame Malcolm, General Manager, Te Arawa Lakes Trust
We often say relationships with iwi and hapū should not be transactional. Tame Malcolm offers a different view: sometimes a clear, honest transaction is exactly where a strong partnership begins. The real problem is when relationships become extractive. Drawing on experience across iwi, local and central government, Tame will share a case study about navigating competing narratives, being upfront about what is and is not possible, and keeping everyone focused on the outcome. There is no rulebook, but there are lessons about trust, curiosity and the human relationships that make lasting partnership possible.
Future-fit: Getting ready for local government reorganisation
Mike Wakefield, Partner, Simpson Grierson
Padraig McNamara, Partner, Simpson Grierson
The Government’s Simplifying Local Government and Head Start announcements prompted a range of responses across the sector, with several Outline Proposals developed to explore the establishment of new Unitary Councils. With the Head Start Pathway now paused, the required detailed design phase will not progress. Councils may still choose to continue this work to better understand what would be involved in establishing a new unitary council and managing the transition. Drawing on the reorganisation pathways set out in the LGA 2002 and the process used to create Auckland Council, this session explores the practical realities of local government reorganisation. What needs to happen before change begins? What can councils learn from Auckland’s experience? Where are the risks and decisions that need attention early? You'll leave with a clearer view of what to expect and the questions your council should be asking now.
Panel: Local government reform: What now?
With Head Start paused and the previous Future for Local Government process kicked to touch, what does the future hold for local government reform? What do communities want and how can local government take leadership over this conversation?
Mayor Nick Smith, Nelson City Council
Mayor Fran Wilde, South Wairarapa District Council
Mayor Scott Gilmore, Tararua District Council
Deputy Chair Kevin Malcolm, Otago District Council
Facilitated by Rebecca Wright
Navigating uncertainty
Conor English, Director Silvereye
Change creates a choice. Councils can use this moment to rethink how they lead and deliver for their communities. This session focuses on leading through uncertainty and change. How do you give people confidence when you don’t have all the answers? How do you bring people with you when change is difficult? And how do you lead change rather than simply respond to it?
Labour Party address and Q&A
Rt Hon Chris Hipkins, Leader, New Zealand Labour Party
Tangi Utikere, MP
Facilitated by Rebecca Wright
Plenary 3: Refocus – What local government needs next
The conference concludes by stepping back to hear from the sectors that rely on strong local government every day. With infrastructure at the centre of council responsibilities, we’ll explore what’s needed to plan, fund and deliver the projects that support resilient communities and regional economic growth.
National Party address and Q&A
Hon Simon Watts, Minister of Local Government
Facilitated by Rebecca Wright
Change as opportunity: Rethinking the role of creativity
Sponsored by Creative NZ
Dr Jeremy Mayall, Chief Executive, Creative Waikato
Jaenine Parkinson, Chief Executive, Museums Aotearoa
When resources are tight and expectations are changing, councils face hard choices. Creative New Zealand will challenge us to rethink where creativity fits in that picture. From making infrastructure work harder to creating places people want to live, visit and invest in, the creative sector can help councils achieve more from the decisions they are already making. This session asks leaders to look beyond the traditional boundaries of arts investment and consider how creativity can help shape what comes next.
Designing for disruption
Sponsored by Arup
Noel Leung, Strategic Consulting Leader, Arup
Harriet Dempsey, Business and Markets Lead, Arup
Councils are planning and investing in communities where disruption is becoming harder to predict. The challenge is not simply managing disruption. It is making investments that keep functioning as circumstances evolve.
This plenary explores how councils can design for disruption by building adaptability into both the infrastructure they invest in and the organisations that manage it. Drawing on examples from New Zealand and overseas, we'll examine how data, culture, and workforce capability can support confidence in long-term decision-making.
Leadership challenge ahead
Mayor Tania Tapsell, Rotorua Lakes Council
Local government has the power to make things happen. Rotorua shows what that can look like. Faced with homelessness in its community, Rotorua Lakes Council is developing a Homeless Strategy and proposing a Mayors Taskforce to bring councils together around a national response. In tourism, local action is delivering results, with Rotorua’s visitor numbers now above pre-Covid levels and the region working towards $1 billion in visitor spend by 2030. This closing session, we’ll learn from NZ Leadership Award Finalist, Mayor Tania, by exploring what councils can do when they see an issue and decide to act? Where can local leadership open up new opportunities for communities? And how can councils use the influence they have to get better outcomes? Leave with fresh ideas and a sense of what is possible when local government leads.