The document summarizes a workshop report on future scenarios for local government presented by Wendy McGuinness of the McGuinness Institute. It discusses global drivers of change and maps issues around climate change, democracy, technology, connection to land, and wellbeing. It also briefly summarizes an article on ancient supervolcanic eruptions in New Zealand, and references additional resources on societal contracts, future pathways, empathy versus compassion, and the shortest serving New Zealand Prime Minister.

1. Future for Local Government
Workshop Report
18 November 2021
Presented by Wendy McGuinness
CEO of McGuinness Institute

2. Worksheet: How to create scenarios quickly and effectively
2

3. Global drivers of change
Adapted from McGuinness Institute’s Report 6 – Four Possible Futures for New Zealand in 2058 (2008).
3

4. Mapping the speaker dialogue
4

5. Mapping the issues using sticky notes
5

6. Table 5a(ii): The essence of climate change and democracy
6

7. Table 5b(ii): Te ao Māori and equity
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8. Table 5c(ii): The essence of technology and social cohesion
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9. Table 5d(ii): Essence of connection to the land and wellbeing
9

10. Our biggest blows: How did prehistoric 'super-eruptions' transform NZ?
‘The Oruanui eruption, which
transformed prehistoric Aotearoa's
environment some 25,000 years
ago, was so large that
scientists consider it a
"supereruption".
Such is the scale of these behemoth
blows that even the 1991 eruption of
Mt Pinatubo in the Philippines –
large enough to have a cooling effect
on the global climate for a year
afterward – would have stood about
100 times smaller in size.’
10
NZ Herald
‘Doom’, Niall Ferguson

11. The Raging 2020s: Companies, Countries, People - and the Fight for Our Future
Alec Ross, 2021
11
‘What makes society work
The social contract is one of the most basic futures
of human civilization … It defines the rights of
citizens, governments, and businesses, as well as
the duties they owe to one another.
p.4

12. Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways Green Paper 2021 (28 October 2021)
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
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13. The difference between
empathy and compassion
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14. Shortest serving Prime Minister: Henry Sewell
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It is important to note: Shortest serving Prime Minister: Henry Sewell[iv]
7 May 1856 - 20 May 1856 (14 days). This is generally thought to have come about because
wanted to move to central government (not allowing for local governance).
‘Sewell's government was short-lived, however, due to its strong centralist tendencies.
The leader of the provincialist faction, William Fox, defeated Sewell's government on 20
May 1856.[27] Fox himself, however, did not retain office for long, being defeated by
Edward Stafford, a moderate. Stafford invited Sewell to become Colonial Treasurer in the
new government.[28] In this role, Sewell was instrumental in drafting a financial compact
between the central and provincial governments.’ (Wikipedia, see here.)

15. Thank you
Ngā mihi
Learn more at mcguinnessinstitute.org