The mokoroa may be small, but it cuts through the kahikatea

15/02/2018

Whatever you think of Auckland Transport (AT), its Board should be acknowledged for publishing its agendas, minutes and reports online.

This sort of transparency is vital for public institutions and acts as a proxy for good public sector governance. Why?

First, others working in the infrastructure supply chain can see the big picture the AT Board is seeing and, as a result, understand their role in it.
Second, this level of transparency helps other public and private sector partners to understand the Board’s vision and their efforts to achieve Auckland-wide goals.
Third, when governors are transparent, problems are solved faster. By being open and honest about the Board’s problems, outsiders can help find solutions.
Finally, a culture that values transparency at the Board table breeds engaged employees in the workplace

The New Zealand Transport Agency provides the same level of transparency. Similarly, many local Councils, including Auckland City and Christchurch City, stream their meetings live.

I wonder if it’s time we saw similar levels of transparency across Aotearoa’s wider State sector? While it seems like a small thing, sometimes small things can significantly impact.

He iti te mokoroa, nāna i kati te kahikatea

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