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Issue No 31 - 14 February 2001
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Contents:
Transforming New Zealand in 2001
Prime Minister Helen Clark told Parliament on Tuesday that the Government's
programme for 2001 was aimed at transforming the economy and improving
opportunities for all New Zealanders. Her statement, which marked the
formal beginning of the parliamentary year, described the initiatives the
Government is working on the realise it's goal of a 'kinder, fairer, more
prosperous, innovative, tolerant, progressive and advanced nation.'
Key initiatives across the social services, employment, tertiary education
and community and voluntary sector portfolios for 2001 include:
- work to better align the tertiary education system with the needs of our
economy and society (following the March 7 release of the second report of
the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission);
- rebuilding the Department of Child, Youth and Family and better
harnessing the support of the community and voluntary agencies to prevent
child abuse. The report into Child, Youth and Family by the former
Principal Youth Court Judge Mick Brown is currently being considered by
Ministers along with a detailed implementation plan;
- further developing the Children's Policy and Research Agenda begun in
2000, including the publication of discussion document;
- reviewing industry training in order to develop a coherent 'whole of
government' skills strategy that links vocational education and training to
industry development, employment, and wider tertiary policies. The review
will focus on policies to encourage higher levels of coverage across the
economy, better alignment between emerging skill needs, and the provision
of training, more effective resourcing and servicing of industry by
Industry Training Organisations, and the development of vocational
education and training pathways for life-long learning.
- launching the Government's new community employment organisations (CEOs).
Based on the successful European social enterprise model, CEOs are small
business type organisations which provide services to community
organisations, disadvantaged groups or individuals and offer real paying
jobs to the unemployed;
- further reform of welfare with a focus on ensuring the system provides
incentives for beneficiaries to move into the world of work and that it
pays for a person to take up appropriate job offers; and,
- receipt of the Community and Voluntary Sector Working Group report on
options to forge a new relationship between the Government and the 'third
sector'.
* the full text of Helen Clark's statement to Parliament has been posted to
her website at www.primeminister.govt.nz/
Unemployment Drop Welcome
Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey has welcomed the
reduction in the official rate of unemployment to 5.6 per cent - the lowest
rate since June 1988.
Employment is up by 36,000 year on year, and unemployment is down by 11,000
over the same period. Changes in employment are being largely driven by an
increase in full time jobs. Long Term Unemployment has decreased from
41,700 to 32,400 for the year to the December 2000 quarter.
Mr Maharey said that the numbers indicate that the New Zealand economy is
well placed to accommodate any weakening in the international economy.
The Government remains committed to ensuring that the reduction in
unemployment will be managed so as to avoid skill shortages or bottlenecks.
Education and training policies, and where appropriate, immigration policy,
will be used to ensure that the economy has the skills required at the
right time and in the right quantities
Maharey Notes Now Available by Fax
Maharey Notes is now published by e-mail and fax each Monday. If you would
prefer to receive the newsletter by fax please send an e-mail message with
your name, the name of your organisation, your postal address and your fax
number to michael.gibbs@parliament.govt.nz. New subscribers can also fax
their subscription request to (04) 495 8443.
New Year, New Challenges
As this is the first Maharey Notes for 2001 we'd like to wish all readers
and your organisations our best wishes for the year ahead.
Child Abuse Report Implemented
Government agencies are implementing the recommendations made by the
Commissioner for Children in his June 2000 report on the death of Te Riri o
te Rangi James Whakaruru. Social Services and Employment Minister Steve
Maharey released the report of the Chief Executives Group, chaired by
Ministry of Social Policy Chief Executive, Dame Margaret Bazley, at the
beginning of February. Work is completed or underway on most
recommendations and further work is also underway to bed in the changes
recommended by the report.
New initiatives include:
- a series of reporting protocols to share information about suspected
abuse and potential abusers;
- better training for health professionals to spot the signs of abuse and
how suspected abuse should be reported; and,
- updated instructions to Child, Youth and Family, Police and Corrections
staff about how they are to deal with child abuse issues.
The Cabinet has asked for two further progress reports on how the remaining
recommendations are being implemented including, if necessary, advice on
any problems being experienced.
Family Violence Action Plan
Four community workshops during February and March will seek the views of
community-based organisations on ways to prevent family violence. The
Government is this year developing an action plan to prevent family
violence. The action plan will draw on expert and sector group opinion,
professional literature and results of the four workshops.
The community workshops, which will be held in Porirua (20
February),Wanganui (22 February), Christchurch (27 February) and
Thames/Hauraki (1 March) are being sent out this week to organisations and
groups which provide services, or have an interest, in family violence
prevention within those communities.
Groups and organisations including Women's Refuge, Men's Stopping Violence
and Rape Crisis groups; Child, Youth and Family, Te Puni Kokiri and the
Police; Barnardos and Age Concern; and relevant Maori, Pacific and other
ethnic service providers have been invited to attend.
New Appointments To Tertiary Councils
New Government appointees to university, polytechnic and college of
education councils were announced at the end of January.
Tertiary institution councils have the responsibility under the Education
Act for the governance of New Zealand's thirty-eight public tertiary
institutions. The councils are composed of community, industry, staff,
student and Ministerial representatives and appointments. Associate
Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey said that the new
Government was making the appointments to tertiary institution councils to
strengthen their ability to respond to the local needs of their communities
and ensure the quality of their programmes.
The demands on tertiary governance and management are expected to increase
with the development of a more integrated and responsive national tertiary
education system.
2nd Teac Report Due For Release
The second report of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission will be
publicly released on March 7. The report recommends a new structure to
align New Zealand's tertiary education sector with the needs of a knowledge
society. It was presented to Associate Education (Tertiary Education)
Minister Steve Maharey on time prior to Christmas and is being formally
presented to the Cabinet before its release.
Putting Foodbanks 'Out Of Business'
The Labour/Alliance Government is committed to industry development, but
the foodbank 'industry' is one that it would like to see go out of
business, Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey told the
Biennial National Foodbank Conference in Wellington last week.
Foodbanks grew rapidly over the 1990s and, while it is unlikely that they
will close down over night, the Government's commitment to economic growth,
social and community development, and the alleviation of poverty is a
necessary condition for that to happen. For example the introduction in
last December of income related rents ? welcomed as the single most
important initiative to alleviate poverty ? and dropping unemployment are
offering real hope to low income households and will lower the need for
foodbank type assistance over time.
