How should we fund the transport system in the future?

Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures and Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport are working together to see what people think about the question ‘who should pay for what?’ in the future land transport system.

Stage 1 of the project was an interactive Pol.is conversation which took place in late 2022. You can download the report here or view the Pol.is conversation outcomes here.

How does Pol.is work?

The Pol.is tool allows participants to express their views by responding to short statements about an issue and adding their own statements for others to ‘vote’ on (agree, disagree or pass). In doing so, they are contributing to an evolving conversation that seeks to find common ground and identify differences of opinion. By combining qualitative and quantitative methodologies, Pol.is is well suited to opinion mapping and refining points of consensus. The software’s visual representation aims to ensure that participants can see all voices represented, particularly areas of agreement amongst otherwise disparate groups.

What’s next?

Stage 2 is a series of deliberative workshops with groups of citizens selected through a civic lottery (sortition) process to reflect the local population. Joining the conversation in person, they learn more about the issues, hear a range of perspectives, and discuss options in an open-minded way. The workshops are taking place in North Auckland, South Auckland, Waikato and Christchurch. You can read more about the workshops here.

Why are we doing this?

The transport system in Aotearoa New Zealand is under pressure to respond to current challenges and to anticipate future needs. Te Mānatu Waka Ministry of Transport is considering how the transport revenue system also needs to change to meet these needs.

These changes could have a significant impact on future generations. To make the right decisions, it is important to understand what people want for the future, and what they think is a fair approach to funding and financing the system in order to achieve those goals. The Ministry is taking an innovative approach to engaging stakeholders and the public on these complex issues.

The workshops are part of Koi Tū’s deliberative democracy research programme, known as Complex Conversations. It’s designed to promote informed public decision-making on complex issues in Aotearoa New Zealand, and help citizens find agreement and consensus.