During Auckland Council’s consultation on the future of recreation at A F Thomas Park, a group of 40 residents from across the North Shore and Albany Wards took part in a three-day deliberative forum.
Participants learned about the issues shaping the future of the park, discussed options and developed a set of recommendations that they presented in person to the Kaipātiki Local Board in November.
A new way for communities to have their say
Unlike a typical public consultation that gathers individual feedback, this forum was an example of deliberative democracy – an innovative process to bring together a diverse cross-section of residents together to learn, discuss and reach shared recommendations on complex issues before providing advice to decision-makers.
Relatively new to Aotearoa, deliberative democracy gives citizens an active role to inform decision-making, particularly where there are competing interests and no one simple answer.
Across the three-days, participants worked through everything from environmental design and stormwater management, to future recreation needs and how these could be funded. Guided by independent facilitators, the group heard from experts, park users, local businesses and interest groups before they developed a set of collective recommendations for the Kaipātiki Local Board.
Kaipātiki Local Board Chairperson Danielle Grant says the process offered valuable insights, ahead of the local board making a well-informed decision in March, when the final outcomes for A F Thomas will be determined
“Deliberative democracy works – it really does. I’ve been incredibly impressed with the level of engagement, the complexity of the information, how the group worked their way through it and the interesting resolutions they came up with. The Kaipātiki Local Board is grateful to have such a rich level of information to inform our decision-making,” says Chair Grant.
A valuable and innovative process
This is one of the most extensive deliberative forums that Auckland Council has undertaken and is part of a wider journey to use these methods more often to support informed decision-making by elected members.
Citizen Engagement Senior Specialist Hannah Spyksma says the forum illustrates how deliberative democracy complements more traditional consultation methods, like Have Your say surveys and public meetings.
“Participants are randomly selected to broadly reflect the community, so deliberative forums bring in voices and lived experiences that don’t always show up strongly in traditional submissions or public meetings. When people have the chance to learn from experts, ask questions and weigh up competing priorities together, the advice they give is incredibly well-considered and balanced,” says Hannah.
“For elected members and staff, this provides a clearer picture of what an informed cross‑section of the public thinks, supporting more confident and defensible decisions on complex or contested issues.”
Working together to solve a complex issue
The deliberative forum was recommended by staff as a tactic during the A F Thomas Park consultation on the planned wetland and dry flood detention areas, which are part of the Wairau flood resilience project.
The approach aimed to better understand how the community see this area as a recreation and open space. The insights are essential to inform planning for the development, the timing of stages and long-term management of recreation outcomes for this area.
Sara Zwart, Principal Project Delivery in Healthy Waters and Flood Resilience says that this innovative approach is extremely valuable to the project.
"For a project this complex, we needed as much diverse community feedback as possible. Alongside hundreds of Have Your Say submissions, the deliberative forum gave us something extra, helping us to see what a representative group of residents value once they get under the surface of the issues,” says Sara.
“This group quickly understood the challenges of protecting people and property from flooding, while still finding ways to create inclusive open spaces that honour existing and future park users.”
The sessions included focus on decision-making styles for individuals and groups, deep dives into relevant council policies and the natural flood resilience (blue-green) works planned for the site and community viewpoints. Participants also heard from impacted groups, sports bodies and local businesses.
They discussed a full range of ideas and options while considering accessibility, environmental protection and other important factors, working toward recommendations supported by the majority of participants.
While most participants arrived with limited background knowledge, many said they left feeling proud, informed and inspired by the collaborative experience.
What’s next?
In early 2026, the Kaipātiki Local Board will receive a full pack of information to support their decision-making, including the forum’s report, technical studies and the feedback received from individuals and community groups.
Taken together, this information will inform the board’s decision on the future recreational use of A F Thomas Park, expected in March 2026. The board has committed to giving the deliberative forum report serious and respectful consideration, alongside all other feedback and expert advice.
As Auckland Council continues its work in the Wairau area, this project demonstrates how deliberative democracy can bring everyday Aucklanders closer to decision-making, helping to build communities that truly reflect the voices, values and visions of their people.
Anyone interested in taking part in future deliberative democracy panels can register their interest on AK Have Your Say.
To hear more about Auckland Council’s journey to weave more deliberative democracy into decision-making, watch this Auckland Conversations video.
