• Student Loan Processing Improvements Package Announced
• Mandatory Child Abuse Reporting
• Breaking Down Silos in the Public Sector
• Ensuring Security in Retirement
• Recognising the Contribution of the 'Third Sector'
• Closing Skills Gaps
• Tertiary Governance Reform

Student Loan Processing Improvements Package Announced

A six-million dollar package of improvements to the student loans and allowances processing system, and specific performance targets for the Department of Work and Income (DWI) to achieve this coming summer were announced last week by Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey.

The package of decisions provides funding to improve staffing levels and waiting times on the Student Services 0800 phone line, a revamped internet site and limited networked on-campus services to students at 34 campus locations nationwide.

Following problems with loans processing earlier this year which badly affected students and tertiary providers, Mr Maharey commissioned an independent evaluation of the system to determine what caused the delays and what improvements need to be made in time for the next academic year.

The improvements package contains measures aimed at:

• building a strong working relationship with stakeholder groups, including students' associations and tertiary providers;
• improving all communications to students from DWI about their loan;
• providing clear and unambiguous eligibility policy;
• improving software to support communication between providers and DWI;
• better managing loan applications at the National Student Centre, including during periods of peak demand; and
• introducing an early identification system which alerts DWI staff to applications which are behind targeted processing time.

Limited, networked, on-campus support will be provided on the 34 major campuses nationwide. These staff will be able to provide face-to-face assistance to students who have specific information needs, enquire on the status of students' applications and complete simple transactions such as a change of address or bank account details.

Mr Maharey said that the Government is expecting to see a much higher standard of service to students and for institutions to get access to tuition fee income in good time. Students can expect the system to be responsive, but they also have a responsibility to apply early and to supply all the documentation and information needed to complete their transaction.

Claims by Opposition social services spokesperson Bob Simcock that a mandatory reporting conference organised by the party last week was not a political event is not credible, says Steve Maharey. The forum was organised to assist the National party to develop its policy in the area.

The previous Government decided in 1992 that it did not support the introduction of mandatory reporting and the current Government is at present actively considering the issue. However Mr Maharey said that advice received to date has not convinced him that the Government's position should change.

International evidence shows that while mandatory reporting leads to an increase in suspected reporting, which over-stretched social workers must then follow up, the number of established cases of abuse does not rise. Mandatory reporting also acts as a deterent for parents and others to seek medical care for their children for fear of being investigated as suspected abusers.

Abuse reporting protocols have now been agreed with a large number of agencies. Further advice on mandatory reporting is expcted later this year from the former Principal Youth Court Judge Mick Brown who is enquiring into abuse notification and referral issues for the Government.

* for a copy of the joint Ministry of Social Policy & Child, Youth and Family briefing paper on mandatory reporting please e-mail <smaharey@ministers.govt.nz>

Breaking down the silo mentality within the public service is essential if the Government is to seriously tackle social exclusion, Steve Maharey told a a public sector policy forum on optimising policy, performance and cooperation for effective outcome delivery last week.

Government agencies need to become much better at working together and recognising the interconnected nature of social problems. Traditionally the welfare state has been based around the imperative to separately tackle individual aspects of social exclusion such as ill-health. For example, policies designed to improve health have focused on the health system, rather than the social or socioeconomic determinants of health such as unemployment, overcrowding and other aspects of poverty.

A recognition of the interconnected nature of social problems requires a new approach to the welfare state and challenges Government agencies is to move beyond the public service contracting model focused on outputs to a strategic model focused on policy outcomes.

Examples of the type of coordination which deserve to be emulated across the public service are the monitoring arrangements agreed by Cabinet to assess the progress of the Government's employment and closing the gaps strategies.

The Government's proposed superannuation fund will allow New Zealanders to plan their own additional savings regimes with confidence, Steve Maharey told Manawatu and Horowhenua financial planners and insurance advisers last week.

Mr Maharey said that the current lack of certainty around superannuation promotes a sense of powerlessness which stops people making sensible financial planning decisions about the income they would like to have available in retirement. The proposed super fund provides long term security about the level of support which can be expected from the state and provides a rational base on which individuals can plan to top up this pension.

The proposed super fund would see existing entitlements guaranteed into the future.

The 'third sector' - comprising community and voluntary organisations - deserves greater recognition for the essential work they do in communities across New Zealand, Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Steve Maharey told a meeting of social services and community groups in Christchurch recently.

The contribution made by the community and voluntary sector in New Zealand has grown considerably in recent years and the Government wants to ensure it is fully recognised and valued. Mr Maharey said that while the role of voluntary agencies often went unrecognised, strong local organisations are essential to build strong communities. Mr Maharey said he sees getting a closer working relationship with the sector based on trust and mutual respect is the key task for him as New Zealand's first Community and Voluntary Sector Minister.

There are 60,000 voluntary organisations and approximately 1.1 million New Zealanders do some form of voluntary work according to the last census. Around $1.3 billion is invested in the services they provide annually.

A working group established in August to develop the framework for an agreement between the Government and the community and voluntary sector is on track to report back to Mr Maharey by the end of this year.

The Government is committed to working in partnership with industry to remove the obstacles that are holding back the development of the industry-training infrastructure.

Industry stakeholders are working with the Government on its recently announced review of industry training. In addition, a discussion document is also being published early in the New Year that will canvas widely the views of industry.

Steve Maharey addresses the annual conference of the Association of Polytechnics in New Zealand in Wellington this weekend.