1. Introduction
2. Methodology and format of report
3. Nature of the Review
4. The Nature of the Problem
5. Context and Scope of Decision-making

B. METHODOLOGY AND FORMAT OF REPORT

2.1    The review commenced on 14 February 2000 and was completed on 8 May 2000. At the outset the Minister stipulated that the maximum use was to be made of Public Service resources. This has been done throughout the review. Significant contributions have been made by DWI management and staff, the Ministry of Social Policy, the Department of Labour, the State Services Commission, the Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Other departments have provided comment from their perspectives.

2.2    Initially it had been intended to conduct a formal survey of DWI clients and stakeholders. However, after discussing this proposal with the Government Statistician and his staff, it was decided that the difficulty, time and cost of formulating a survey methodology which would provide meaningful results were such that it was preferable to rely on other approaches. Accordingly, the following were the principal sources of information:

1. a wide range of documents provided by Parliament and Government departments, (and particularly from DWI itself);
2. a questionnaire to chief executives of 18 government departments and Crown entities and follow up interviews with 17 of them;
3. a questionnaire to 249 DWI stakeholders;
4. 153 public submissions in response to an invitation issued by the Minister of State Services;
5. 108 submissions representing 228 DWI staff;
6. meetings with 35 focus groups drawn from DWI staff around the country;
7. 4 meetings with beneficiary advocacy groups representing 14 beneficiary advocacy organisations;
8. interviews with a range of groups and persons with particular knowledge of, or interest in, DWI.
9. interviews with current Ministers and with Ministers of the previous Government.

Overall almost 1000 persons have contributed to the review.

2.3    The information gathered as a result of (b), (c), (d), (e) (f) and (g) above has been summarised and is presented both in this overview and in some detail at Annexes B, C, D, E, F and G. Undertakings of confidentiality have been given to DWI staff members but the remaining submissions will be available to Ministers and policy advisers should they be required.

2.4    In order to provide Ministers with the essence of this extensive range of information and opinion, indicative of the widespread interest in the review, this report is presented in the form of an overview which includes a summary of findings and suggestions, together with a series of annexes. The annexes cover some of the information sources, as outlined in the previous paragraph, as well as a number of specific issues on which it was thought Ministers might like detailed comment.

2.5    While the whole team was involved in putting together elements of the report, the judgments made in both the overview and the specific issue annexes are the sole responsibility of the reviewer. The review team would like to acknowledge here all the assistance it was given in compiling this report. The co-operation it received from all those who provided information and comment was greatly appreciated. Regrettably in a document of this kind it is not possible to record all of the concerns and reflect all of the perspectives, but it is hoped the major issues have been revealed for Ministerial consideration and decision.