The Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector has a new home

Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Tariana Turia is welcoming the move of the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector into the Department of Internal Affairs from today.

The Community and Voluntary Sector portfolio has previously been split between Department of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Social Development.

“This move aims to simplify access to government for the relevant community groups and provide a clear point of contact,” says Mrs Turia.

“The move will also improve transparency and further strengthen policy advice in relation to the sector and its relationship with Government.”

“We start 2011 with a new structure – a single government home for community and voluntary sector portfolio matters and a new ministerial role in the form of Hon Hekia Parata, Associate Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector” says Mrs Turia.

“I hope that these new arrangements will give us a better, simpler, and even more effective way of empowering communities and building trusting government-sector relationships.”

Mrs Turia says sector groups will continue to maintain the key relationships that they have built with various stakeholders and colleagues, and existing work programmes will remain of priority throughout the transition.

The move of the Office has happened simultaneously with the integration of Archives New Zealand, the National Library, and the role of the Government Chief Information Officer into the Department of Internal Affairs.