May 08, 2018
Sepuloni rethinks social investment approach
Former prime minister Bill English's social investment idea may not be dead but it could get a substantial rethink in the hands of new Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni.
The government is inviting more than 1,500 non-government organisations, iwi entities and social services to consult on how it can invest in social wellbeing.
The three-month consultation will also ask how to best use and protect people's data, the issue that turned many organisations and individuals off the National-led government's policy of linking welfare funding to assessment of individual risk.
Ms Sepuloni says that policy was driven by concern for fiscal liability, while the current government is focused on wellbeing.
She ruled out making NGOs open up their data in exchange for funding, and said it was important to rebuild trust with NGOs and service users into how the government uses information and shares it.
She says her social wellbeing approach will people at the heart of the approach; make better use of a wide range of information including analytics and people's experience; develop strong partnership and trust; and provide clear goals and robust measurements.
Copyright © 2018, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com