We supported the incoming Government to develop and introduce new policies
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The Speech from the Throne at the opening of Parliament following the 2017 General Election outlined an ambitious programme of work to be undertaken by the new Labour-led Government in its first 100 days. We worked closely with Ministers and other agencies to develop these policies for introduction within the tight timeframe set by the Government.
Developing policy and legislation for the Families Package
The Families Package provides targeted assistance to improve incomes for low- and middle-income families with children, and to reduce child poverty. It is part of the Government’s focus on ensuring children get the best start in life and that our welfare system does not leave families without support.
The Families Package includes:
- increases to Accommodation Benefit and Accommodation Supplement rates
- a new Winter Energy Payment
- higher abatement thresholds for the Family Tax Credit
- a Best Start payment for a child’s early years.
Winter Energy Payment
This payment supports those who receive a main benefit, New Zealand Superannuation or a Veteran's Pension to heat their homes in winter by increasing the amount of money available over the winter months. It runs from July to September in 2018 and from May to September in future years, and is paid automatically to those who qualify unless they opt out. We administer these payments, which will benefit about a million New Zealanders each winter.
In late 2017 and early 2018 we worked with Inland Revenue, the Treasury and Oranga Tamariki to develop the policy and legislation to give effect to the Families Package and enable its announcement in December 2017 and its implementation from 1 April 2018 [29].
We made significant changes to our internal systems so that we could implement all relevant components of the Families Package for introduction, and we successfully implemented the components of the Package for those who receive payments from us [30].
Supporting the Child Poverty Reduction Bill
We supported the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) to develop and introduce enduring child poverty legislation.
Building on our annual Household Incomes Report, we co-led the policy development process to establish a robust suite of child poverty income and hardship measures, backed by target-setting and reporting requirements, and a child wellbeing strategy and action plan. We further supported DPMC by leading the process for drafting the Bill and other material needed for its first reading.
After the Bill was introduced to the House in February 2018, responsibility passed to the newly established Child Poverty Unit in DPMC. The Bill is to be passed in the 2018 calendar year, and we continue to provide support to the Child Poverty Unit as required.
Working with other agencies to develop a Child Wellbeing Strategy
The Child Poverty Reduction Bill requires the adoption of a Child Wellbeing Strategy within a year. DPMC is leading the development of the Strategy, working with agencies that play a role in improving and supporting the wellbeing of children and young people.
Six initial focus areas have been identified, and we are co-leading, with the Ministry of Health, the ‘first 1,000 days’ focus area of the strategy development work. This focus area is intended to ensure that children experience optimal development in their first 1,000 days of life.
Supporting the establishment of the Welfare Expert Advisory Group on overhauling the benefit system
The Government is committed to overhauling the welfare system, and in May 2018 the Minister for Social Development announced that a Welfare Expert Advisory Group would be set up to support and advise the Government on this. We were heavily involved in the work leading up to the announcement, including supporting the Minister to secure Cabinet agreement to the Terms of Reference and membership of the Group, and designing and setting up the organisational structure for the work. We are taking an active part in the secretariat supporting the Group’s work.
The Group met for the first time in May 2018 and is due to report to Ministers with its recommendations in February 2019.
Investigating options to strengthen independent oversight of the new children’s system
With support from the State Services Commission, we worked to examine how oversight of the new system for the care and support of vulnerable children could be strengthened to best support the needs of New Zealand children.
Our consultation with government departments, Crown entities and current oversight agencies highlighted overlaps and gaps in current independent oversight arrangements, and potential options to improve the independent oversight model. We then launched targeted public consultation with Māori, children and young people in May 2018.
Final policy decisions arising from the review are expected in the 2018/2019 year.
Investing for social wellbeing
We worked closely with the Social Investment Agency (SIA) in advising the Government on its ‘investing for social wellbeing’ approach.
Building on our significant experience in using an investment approach, we helped determine the key features of the Government’s approach, including its broader focus on wellbeing.
This work built on previous collaboration by social sector agencies during the year, which we co-led with the SIA, to improve understanding of what taking an investment approach means, and what capability is needed to maximise the effectiveness of such an approach. Considerable work was also undertaken – and remains in progress – to further build public trust in data use; something critical to both the success of an investment approach and our overall reputation.
MSD, the Tertiary Education Commission, the Ministry of Education and Inland Revenue were joint winners of the Excellence in Achieving Collective Impact award and the Prime Minister's Award for Public Sector Excellence in the 2018 IPANZ Public Sector Excellence Awards for the delivery of the Fees-free Tertiary Education for 2018 initiative. Pictured are (back left) Geordie Cassin (General Manager, National Communications), Viv Rickard (Deputy Chief Executive, Service Delivery), (front left) Liz Jones (Associate Deputy Chief Executive, Service Delivery), and Derek Carey (Project Manager, Service Delivery).
Partnering to deliver free tertiary education to New Zealand students
We worked in conjunction with the Tertiary Education Commission (TEC), the Ministry of Education and Inland Revenue to design, fund and launch free tertiary study or training for new students (Delivering Fees-free Tertiary Education for 2018) in just six weeks in late 2017, ready for go-live in January 2018. The policy was a key plank of the Government’s 100-day plan.
Part of our role was to provide and manage (through our StudyLink contact centre) a dedicated 0800 service for intending students with eligibility queries.
We worked with TEC to communicate the details of the Fees-free initiative to prospective students, verify people’s eligibility, and arrange payments to tertiary education providers.
We contacted the 12,000 students who had already submitted loan applications for 2018 study to make them aware of the Fees-free policy and the difference it might make for them.
This work was recognised for outstanding collaborative effort and performance, shared accountabilities and achievement of joint results across clusters of agencies by the award for Excellence in Achieving Collective Impact, as well as the Prime Minister’s Award for Public Sector Excellence, at the Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ) Public Sector Excellence Awards in July 2018.
Footnote
[29] The Accommodation Supplement and Accommodation Benefit changes announced by the previous Government came into force as part of the Families Package on 1 April 2018; and the Winter Energy Payment and Best Start components of the Package, and changes to the Working for Families tax credit scheme on 1 July 2018.
[30] We administer the Accommodation Supplement and Accommodation Benefit, which were increased by the Families Package, as well as the new Winter Energy Payment. We also, on behalf of Inland Revenue, pay the Family Tax Credit and Best Start to most beneficiaries who qualify for these payments.
