The social transformation required as we ratchet down carbon emissions to half by 2030 and net zero by 2050 will involve many difficult decisions by local councils. How will we allocate our diminishing carbon budget (building a new library or building new houses or clearing multiple landslips)? Who pays for the loss of houses that must be abandoned to sea level rise (the owner, the taxpayer, some combination of sources)? We need to engage every sector of society in such crucial decisions.

Assemblies/Citizens’ Juries are a form of participatory deliberative democracy that offer a way of doing this. They are being used more frequently throughout the world. We are interested in adapting this democratic development in a form that embodies the Treaty of Waitangi.

Our speakers, May Miller-Dawkins and Cally O’Neill, bring a broad range of experience to these matters, and are eager to engage in discussion with all of us on their relevance to our region.

The session will be hosted by Joanna Santa Barbara, Co-Chair of the Nelson Tasman Climate Forum, and Te Wehi Ratana, from Extinction Rebellion.

May Miller-Dawkins is a researcher, advocate and facilitator with over twenty years experience working in and with social movements, community organisations, international civil society, universities and foundations with a focus on community leadership, corporate accountability and open government. She is originally from Australia and migrated to Whakatū (Nelson) in 2020 where she lives with her partner, two sons and dog. 

Cally O’Neill trained in architecture under apprenticeship with the late Sir Ian Athfield, architect of Wellington, and went on to found her own company specialising in Participatory Design of community spaces. She has developed practices of collaboration with local people and experts across industries to enable solutions that can incorporate complex multifaceted perspectives; solving the most problems using the fewest resources.

In 2019 Cally shifted her participatory passions towards political activism, particularly advocating for Te Tirit-based Deliberative Democracy to address the climate, social, biodiversity and sustainability crises. She is a founding member of Te Reo O Ngā Tāngata/The People Speak and is considered a leading-thinker on collaborative governance and is working with Ngāti Toa Rangatira to develop new community governance structures for Porirua.

You don't want to miss the interesting discussion that this evening will bring, so please register here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpdeutrD8rH9Cwx8X9wNzq6hmIfSoYDwaO

If you can't make it, please already note that the webinar will be recorded and made available on our Youtube ChannelYoutube Channel.