• Guardianship, Custody and Access Arrangements Discussion Document Released
• Future of Wairarapa Community Polytechnic
• Taranaki Vocational Education
• Working Group Membership Announced
• Industry Training Partnership Praised
• University Research
• Small Tertiary Enrolment Increase Predicted

Guardianship, Custody and Access Arrangements Discussion Document Released

Associate Justice Minister Margaret Wilson and Social Services and the Employment Minister Steve Maharey released a discussion document this week on New Zealand's guardianship, custody and access framework.

New Zealand's guardianship law was passed over 30 years ago and it is now widely acknowledged that it no longer meets the needs of modern families. Patterns of family life and values regarding family relationships have changed significantly in the intervening period. The discussion paper describes the current policy framework, the law and identifies key issues that the Government wants there to be wide public debate on.

Key issues identified in the discussion paper include the rights of children, the rights and responsibilities of families and extended families, recognition of cultural diversity and the outmoded language used in the law.

The Government wants to encourage thinking about the law and how the Family Court works, when responsibility for children cannot be sorted out in families so that our children are protected and parents and others concerned for children have a fair and understandable system to deal with.

Under our law the welfare of children and young people is of paramount importance and the paramountcy of the interests of the child is supported by the Government. Differences in family structure and relationships for Maori and Pacific peoples also need to recognised in our legal framework to a greater extent than is currently the case. New Zealand also has international obligations and commitments that need to be recognised in the context of child and family policy.

The discussion paper is the first step in reviewing the Guardianship Act 1968. Submissions received will carefully considered, and will provide the basis for a report which will inform the Government as it proceeds with a review of the law surrounding guardianship, custody and access.

Public responses are invited by the end of November and should be sent to the Ministry of Justice, PO Box 180, Wellington, or can be e-mailed to guardianship@justice.govt.nz.

* the discussion document has been published on the Ministry of Justice website at www.justice.govt.nz

The Government is invited public submissions on the future of Wairarapa Community Polytechnic last week. The polytechnic has been experiencing financial difficulties. In March the Government made available a Crown loan to give the polytechnic time to prepare a plan to secure the future of tertiary provision in the region. The polytechnic has now sought to combine its operations wth the Palmerston North-based UCOL (Manawatu Polytechnic). The institutions have prepared an overview document summarising the key features of this proposal on which public submissions, closing on 1 September 2000, have now been called.

* copies of the overview document can be obtained from Wairarapa Community Polytechnic, (06) 377 5029, or UCOL, (06) 952 7000

Steve Maharey travels to New Plymouth this week to attend a Mayoral forum on education organised by the Taranaki Vocational Education Trust. The Real Life Learning forum will explore industry-education links, schools' role in vocational education and youth development issues.

Membership of a new working group which will develop the framework for an agreement between the Government and the community and voluntary sector was announced last week by Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Steve Maharey.

The working group balances geographic representation with community, Mäori, Pacific peoples, government and regional organisation experience. The group has been asked to give Mr Maharey advice by October on how the Government can build stronger relationships with the third sector.

Members of the working group are: Dorothy Wilson (Chair), former Deputy Mayor of Waitakere City. Currently a consultant in sustainable development and change management.

Sandra Alofivae, lawyer, youth advocate, Presbyterian Support Northern Board member, involved in many Pacific people's community organisations.

John Angus, family and community policy specialist with the Ministry of Social Policy.

Don Clarke, NGO Programme Manager in the Development Co-operation Division of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Enid Leighton, General Manager of Ngati Awa Social and Health Service.

Malcolm Peri, an Auckland counsellor with considerable experience in community-based Mäori social services.

Atareta Poananga, lawyer, Gisborne District councillor and trustee of Te Runanga o Ngati Porou.

Sir Paul Reeves, former Governor-General of New Zealand.

Donald Shand, Programme Coach in the Community Development Group of the Department of Internal Affairs.

Jenny Smith, senior community worker seconded from Christchurch City Mission to Te Whare Roimata.

John Stansfield, founder and programme leader of UNITEC Institute of Technology's Graduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit Management.

Pam Warren, Executive Officer of the Dunedin Council of Social Services.

* further information about the working group has been posted on the Ministry of Social Policy website at www.mosp.govt.nz

Associate Education (Tertiary Education) Minister Steve Maharey met this week with a joint Industry Training Federation and Association of Polytechnics in New Zealand working party drawing up best practice guidelines for the assessment of unit standards. Mr Maharey congratulated the organisations for working together to ensure the quality of unit standard-based qualifications. The working group has been supported by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, who have responsibility for setting standards, and Skill New Zealand. Mr Maharey said the working group was an example of the collaboration the new Government wants to foster in the tertiary sector. The Minister encouraged officials to adopt the same approach to fostering partnerships that NZQA had in this case, noting that the Authority had given the ITF and APNZ the latitude to work collaboratively.

Steve Maharey met with representatives of the Association of University Staff this week and discussed university research issues. An additional $43.6 million was provided in the Budget this year for Government funded research, science and technology, boosting total Government funding to $474 million for the year ending 30 June 2001. Approximately $13 million of the new funds is likely to be available to university researchers this financial year.

Slight growth in tertiary student numbers is predicted this academic year according to Ministry of Education estimates. Forecasts made by tertiary education providers of equivalent fulltime student (EFTS) numbers for 2000 and the finalised number of EFTS places achieved in 1999 were released last week. 160,282 EFTS were enrolled at tertiary institutions in 1999. The Ministry of Education reports that tertiary education institutions predict a 1.8% increase in EFTS enrolments in 2000, estimating 163,200 EFTS will enrol in tertiary study this year.

The Government wants to see higher levels of participation in post-school education and training. New measures already implemented by the Government such as freezing tertiary fees next year and stopping the accumulation of interest on loans while students are studying are making tertiary education more affordable to the many New Zealanders for whom cost had become a barrier to access.