26 September 2024
Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Council's use of AI
Enquiry
I was wondering if someone could please provide me with some information on how the council is using AI?
Curious as to what the council's policy is with AI use and how it sees its use helping/hindering etc. I know this has been asked before, but I'd like to delve further into it.
What advice has the council sought in relation to AI use? (and what is it)
In what ways has AI been used in the council?
Does the council have a stance on the use of AI in its business?
In what ways does AI have a place in the council going forward?
Has the council invested in any AI technology or service and what are the details? Is it exploring what it might invest in? (Cost, description of product/service, who uses it and how it is intended to help)
How would the council need to adjust, improve or change anything in order to get these products/services running? (Inc cost, description of what etc)
Any particularly interesting/unique ways the council is or wants to be using AI?
What percentage of council staff are using AI?
How is this likely to change?
Does the council have any concerns about the use of AI and if so what?
How are/will these be mitigated?
Response
From Rotorua Lakes Council Spokesperson:
Here at Rotorua Lakes Council, we are taking an optimistic and cautious approach.
There is the potential for AI or generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) to be used to enhance services and functions and create efficiencies, but the risks and benefits need to be well understood and managed.
In March, Council finalised a policy to guide the use of GenAI by council staff. This policy encourages the use of GenAI while protecting the Council's safety, privacy, and intellectual property rights.
Our staff will be allowed to use GenAI services when the benefits and risks are well understood and manageable. Fully open AI services will be limited, with a preference for Council-managed GenAI services.
We are still in the early stages of exploring GenAI applications in council. There are two main AI initiatives that we are currently looking at; the implementation of Microsoft CoPilot in support of general productivity like automated meeting minute transcription, and the other initiative is Gensys Cloud, a Customer Solutions Contact solution in support of their interactions with Customers.
Where it is appropriate staff will be given access. Natural language AI services (voice-activated digital assistants similar to Siri and Alex) has also been identified as an AI service that could be used in support of council’s call centre to quickly give consistent and correct information to customers.
The initial trial of the system is showing some positive results. Regarding costs, the current initiatives are helping build the Council's understanding of return on investments, which has been kept to a minimal (about $3k) deployment while this is understood.
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Media: Local Democracy Reporter
Topic: Tarawera sewerage scheme
Enquiry
Following on from the presentation yesterday in council I spoke with Lake Rotokākahi Board of Control spokesman Te Whatanui Leka Skipwith and have the following for response please and thanks:
Skipwith said having more information (about what Leith Comer said about possible breaches, mitigation etc) would be fine to have, but "it's the fact the council is disturbing the whenua itself".
He said the material of the pipeline is the same as in Wellington and West Auckland where there have been issues of flooded homes being written off. (Have asked for what specific incidents he is referring to, will send when I know).
"We just don't want it through Rotokākahi."
He said there had been a failure in the council's consultation with iwi that resulted in a fractured relationship, but it was willing to "go through other options" with the council.
Skipwith said iwi did not feel listened to throughout the scheme's progress, and the council had "not been hearing where the iwi are coming from".
He did not believe there was a lot of information in the cultural impact assessments and archaeological survey, but said what was in there, the council did not consider.
He felt the situation could "have been avoided" if the council had listened and considered the significance of the area to iwi.
Another concern he had was that it did not get to know if anything had been found during works.
"It's not nice thinking our family may be dumped somewhere."
He did not believe there was a cultural monitor on-site. He understood it would have needed to have been mana whenua.
In regards to any renewed injunction application, he said peaceful protest was permissible.
"We are basically just living on our whenua and continuing cultural practices, including accessing our awa."
He said there would be a wider iwi discussion and further communication with the council.
As well as response to the above can I please ask whether the council will or has renewed its injunction application and whether there has been a decision,
Was there anyone actively monitoring what was being removed from under the road during works and where this debris went?
Were any items found and what were they?
Was there anything that could be perceived of cultural significance and were mana whenua told?
Has there been a failure in this scheme in regards to listening to the concerns of mana whenua? Please explain why, why not.
When will work on the project rebegin, if it hasn't already?
What are the councils next steps?
Will there be any review or investigation into the scheme and what would this include?
Subsequent from reporter:
Reporter provided the following links regarding what Mr Skipwith was referring to re Auckland and Wellington instances:
Rush to fix broken pipe after raw sewage enters Wgtn Harbour (1news.co.nz)
Video: Desperate residents flee floodwaters in West Auckland (1news.co.nz)
Response
From Rotorua Lakes Council Spokesperson:
In response to Mr Skipwith’s comments
Council has been communicating with iwi representatives and project partners on the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme since 2015. There has been widespread support for the project as a neccessary measure to protect the health of all our lakes and to ensure the wellbeing of our community who enjoy them. The project was paused on August 30 to ensure that mana whenua of Lake Rotokākahi had space and time to air their concerns about the pipeline route with council staff and partners and allow factual information to be shared.
Conversations have been had daily since that time with designated representatives of Tuhourangi Tribal Authority and the Lake Rotokākahi Control Board.
We have been advised and agreed to continue working with the appointed representatives from Mana Whenua. Mr Skipwith was not identified by Mana Whenua as one of the appointed representatives.
As well as response to the above can I please ask whether the council will or has renewed its injunction application and whether there has been a decision?
Council has not progressed with the injunction to date.
Was there anyone actively monitoring what was being removed from under the road during works and where this debris went?
It is important to understand that the drilling does not remove soil from the ground. The drilling simply displaces the material around it to make room for the pipeline. No material is brought out of the drilling tunnel.
We respect this area and its significance to iwi. Council has protocols in place for all our construction works that are enacted in the case of accidental discovery of any artefacts. This includes pausing work to conserve the location of any found items.
The RBOC have advised us that they have selected a Cultural Monitor for the site and Council is ready to collaborate with the monitor as it has been done on all the other monitors appointed on the 90% of the project pipelines completed.
Were any items found and what were they? Was there anything that could be perceived of cultural significance and were mana whenua told?
The answer is no because the works have been paused here. But nothing of significance has been found on the rest of the pipelines so far. Again please note that the drilling does not remove soil. It just displaces it to make room for the pipeline.
Has there been a failure in this scheme in regards to listening to the concerns of mana whenua? Please explain why, why not.
No. Council has a strong history of partnering with mana whenua to successfully deliver water infrastructure projects for the benefit of Rotorua and has been communicating with iwi representatives and project partners on the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme since 2015.
When will work on the project rebegin, if it hasn't already?
This is an operational decision for our Chief Executive.
What are the councils next steps?
We will continue to work with mana whenua and our project partners during this pause of the works onsite.
Will there be any review or investigation into the scheme and what would this include?
This will be something to consider after the project is complete.
NOTE: We noted to the reporter that neither of the two links she provided regarding the Wellington and Auckland instances which Mr Skipwith was referring to mentioned the types of materials used in the pipes.
