23 June 2005

Release of final set of reviews

Co-ordinating Minister, Race Relations Trevor Mallard today released the second group of reports and results from the government’s review of targeted policies and programmes.

"The aim of the review was to give ministers and the public an assurance that policies and programmes are targeted on the basis of need, not race. Throughout this process I have made it clear this government will continue to use targeted programmes and policies for specific ethnic groups where they are shown to be effective at addressing their proven needs.

"That's the approach we also use for other groups of New Zealanders who need specific help, such as the elderly or those in rural communities.

"The decisions I am announcing today are in addition to the decisions announced on 16 December 2004 that related to the first tranche of work. This work completes what has been a thorough process and close evaluation of these programmes and policies.

"As a result of this final phase in the review process, there will be changes to 20 programmes, 15 require further work, and 14 programmes will not be changed. A summary of the latest decisions is attached.

"The twenty-plus review reports issued today summarise a huge volume of work that has been undertaken by agencies and cover a wide variety of programmes, and many government departments, including the Ministries of Education, Health and Social Development.

"Fourteen programmes will continue unchanged as sufficient evidence has been provided as to their effectiveness and the targeting is appropriate. There is a need to continue to review these programmes to ensure that the need remains and that they are effective.

"In many of the programmes that are changing, eligibility is widening so other groups in need are also targeted, and some programmes may change after further evaluation. Where there is a change, it means that there has not been convincing evidence that the targeting is actually delivering the desired results. Or it means that the needs have changed since when the programmes were first introduced, so the programmes need to be revised accordingly."

Attached: Summary of the latest decisions, questions and answers, and the omnibus cabinet paper. All the review reports and papers will be on www.ssc.govt.nz/mru from about 2.15pm. This also links to a summary of the December decisions on the reviews.

The 20-plus reports released today include review work undertaken by Child Youth and Family Services, the Department of Corrections, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Department of Labour, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. Also being released is a State Services Commission cross-agency report on public service scholarships targeted by ethnicity and a Ministry of Education report on ethnically targeted policies in tertiary education.

In summary, as a result of the December review decisions, and today's decisions, 21 programmes have changed, further work is required on 16 programmes, and there will be no change to 20 programmes.

For more information and detail about the programmes, please go to relevant report on www.ssc.govt.nz/mru

Tranche 1

Department Number of Programmes Change Further Work No Change
Culture and Heritage 1 0 0 1
Education 2 1 0 1
Education Review Office 2 0 0 2
Health 3 0 1 2
Total 8 1 1 6

Tranche 2

Department Number of Programmes Change Further Work No Change
Child, Youth and Family Services 5 0 3 2
Corrections 2 0 1 1
Consumer Affairs 2 0 1 1
Culture and Heritage 1 0 0 1
Education 8 6 2 0
Environment 1 1 0 0
Health 18 8 4 6
Justice 1 0 0 1
Labour 1 0 1 0
Pacific Island Affairs 1 1 0 0
Social Development 5 1 2 2
State Services Commission 1 1 0 0
Research, Science and Technology 2 2 0 0
Te Puni Kokiri 1 0 1 0
Total 49 20 15 14

Some questions and answers on examples of change

Change - Public Service - departmental scholarships targeted by ethnicity These were aimed at encouraging Maori and Pacific Island people into particular fields of study or particular career paths. What has changed?

The review found that scholarships had not, in general, been effective in terms of recruiting scholarship recipients into the Public Service. What happens next? The State Services Commission will, however, be reporting to ministers on appropriate strategies for encouraging Māori and Pacific peoples into the Public Service so that it can better meet the needs of the population it serves and meet the State Sector Act requirements on equal employment opportunities. How much money was spent on these scholarships?

There are about 50 scholarships offered each year to Maori and Pacific students, with most ranging in value from $2,000 to $5,000. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change - Education - Mapihi Pounamu Mapihi Pounamu is a financial assistance scheme that has been targeted to assist Māori students who are required to board away from home because they face barriers to learning.

What has changed? The eligibility criteria for Mapihi Pounamu has been widened and both Māori and non- Māori will now benefit. This change applies from January 2006.

What happens to those students currently getting financial assistance from this programme? Funding for these students will continue while they remain at school.

What funding is available for this initiative? A total of $3.4 million is allocated to this initiative. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change - Education - Promoting Early Childhood Education Participation Project

The Promoting Participation Project is an information and brokerage initiative that targets communities of low early childhood education participation with high Māori and Pasifika populations and contracts providers from within those communities. What has changed? The Promoting Early Childhood Education Participation Project will continue to support disadvantaged families - regardless of ethnicity - who might not otherwise participate in early childhood education.

What funding is involved in this programme? Funding of $3.15 million annually is provided for this programme.

How do you know the programme is working? An evaluation to ascertain the programme’s effectiveness is currently planned with a report back timed for late 2006. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Change - Tertiary education - Māori and Pasifika Special Supplementary Grants

Māori and Pasifika Special Supplementary Grants were introduced in 2001 and were intended to increase the responsiveness of Tertiary Education Institutions (TEIs) to under-represented and under-achieving groups. The grants require institutions to articulate their plans for improving participation and achievement of these groups and to report on progress in the previous year. Funding cannot be spent on individual learners.

What has changed? Maori and Pasifika students are currently concentrated at sub-degree level, and the review has recommended that these grants be revised for 2006 and 2007 to increase enrolments at degree and postgraduate level. By June 2006 a full policy re-design will be completed which will include consideration of completion rates, broadening the targeting of SSG funding to include other groups facing educational disadvantage and improving requirements for TEIs to identify how they are spending SSG to improve participation, retention, completion and progression.

What will the change in removing funding for certificate level study mean for Tertiary Education Institutions? Providers will have significantly greater incentives to enrol students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Diploma and Degree level study.

What will removing the ethnicity criteria mean for Tertiary Education Institutions? While the ethnicity criteria for these grants is being removed there will be a four year transition period in which some funding will still be allocated on the basis of Maori and Pasifika enrolments.

How much funding does this involve? A total of around $8.5 million annually is allocated to these grants.

What will happen to this funding now? Once the transition period is ended the new money will go into the wider special supplementary grants scheme. These grants will target students from low socio-economic backgrounds who may not participate or may under achieve in tertiary education.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change - Pacific Island Affairs - student scholarships in the Pacific Business Trust's business development programmes

The Pacific Islands Business Development Trust (PBT) was established in 1986. It provides business development services aimed at reducing the barriers for New Zealanders of Pacific descent wanting to enter business and become self-employed. The proportion of Pacific people in self-employment is about one third of that for the total population.

The scholarships allowed Pasifika secondary school students to participate in a 12-month American Field Service (AFS) student exchange. The aim was to promote tertiary education among Pasifika students in New Zealand.

What changes are planned to the PBT's programmes? Secondary school scholarships offered currently offered by the PBT will cease because the scholarships do not contribute to the PBT's business development objectives. How much funding went into the initiative? Five students received $5000 each over the two years ($25,000 total). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change - Ministry of Social Development - Maori and Pacific Island Work Track

This is a five-week programme to assist clients who are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed into work. The original programme was tailored to meet the needs of various client populations including Maori, Pacific people’s (Maori and Pacific people’s Work Track) and migrant/refugee clients (Migrant Job Link).

What has changed? Work and Income is changing the criteria to allow all eligible clients to attend. Other changes will include: proposed theme-based (or industry-based) programmes broadening the use of post-Work Track job search programmes in Work and Income sites assigning work brokers to the Work Track programme development of a two-week Work Track programme What happens to Maori and Pacific clients who are eligible for Work Track They will continue to be eligible. What funding is available for the Work Track programme? $6.64m (GST incl) per annum. How many clients can access Work Track programmes? Funding is available for around 12,000 clients annually. How will clients get information on accessing the programme? Through their case manager. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Change - Health - Maori Mental Health Workforce Initiatives

A range of Maori mental health workforce initiatives aim to improve the skills and numbers of Maori working in the sector. They centre on Te Rau Matatini, a centre of excellence; the Henry Rongomau Bennett Programme, a leadership development programme; and Te Rau Puawai, a professional development programme. It has been decided that Te Rau Matatini under graduate student placement project should apply to all under graduates who demonstrate a commitment to working in the Maori mental health area.

There will also be further evaluation of the effectiveness of the Henry Rongomau Bennett awards. Consideration will be given to extending the awards to other groups committed to working in Maori mental health and reviewing all awards and incentives relating to the development of the mental health workforce. It saw a need for consistency between programmes for people with similar skills and needs.

What is changing? There is a need to ensure that suitably qualified and motivated people do not miss out. The changes seek to end any possibility that people are prevented from entering relevant training programmes or gaining other forms of assistance solely because of their ethnicity. These considerations will be an essential part of a review of Te Rau Matatini initiative and the Henry Rongomau Bennett Awards.

Are there likely to be further changes? Details of the final changes to these programmes will only be known once follow-up reviews are completed.

Who will benefit from the changes? No one should lose access to these programmes as a result of the review. In fact, the changes are likely to lead to more people being able to be considered for participation in these programmes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Change - Health - Clinical Training Agency

The review included work on several programmes and initiatives funded by the Clinical Training Agency designed to increase the number, and level of training, of Maori and Pacific people in the health workforce. These include a mix of targeted placements, scholarships, and support and access funding for Maori and Pacific trainees. The work also examined four other CTA funded programmes (Maori Mental Health Nursing Programme, National Certificate in Maori Child and Family, Certificate in Hauora Maori and the National Diploma in Rongoa Maori).

It has been decided that the entry criteria needed to be refined to ensure appropriately skilled trainees were not excluded on the basis of ethnicity alone. Alternative eligibility and entry criteria will be developed on the basis of this finding.

What is changing? The entry and eligibility criteria for a number of programmes will change as a result of the review. It will be some time before the final details of these changes are known but will certainly include removing targeted placements.

It is also clear that the new criteria will need to ensure that no one is prevented from entering relevant training programmes or gaining other forms of assistance because of their ethnicity. The changes also seek to eliminate any possibility of trainees gaining funding for the same purpose from more than one source. The programmes that will be affected by these changes are: The General Practice Education Programme 1 (targeted placements and scholarship components) The Public Health Medicine Training Programme (targeted placements) Access and Support Grants Foundation Programmes (Maori Mental Health Nursing Programme, National Certificate in Maori Child and Family, Certificate in Hauora Maori and the National Diploma in Rongoa Maori).

Are there likely to be further changes? The details of replacement entry and eligibility criteria are to be developed. They will then be referred to Cabinet before final changes are decided on.

Who will benefit from the changes? No one should lose access to these programmes as a direct result of these changes. It is hoped these changes will allow suitably qualified and motivated trainees to participate in all these programmes where this is not currently possible. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Change - Health - Therapy Workforce Development Project

The Therapy Workforce Development Project is a regional initiative in the Auckland area to increase the number of Maori and Pacific people working in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. It has been decided that no further Ministry of Health funding be provided when the current contract ends in 2007. It is anticipated that workforce development in this area will be undertaken by district health boards. A report will also be completed on the barriers to Maori and Pacific students undertaking training in the therapy workforce.

What is changing? There are no changes to this project as a direct result of the review. However, it has been decided that funding for this project will end in 2007 when the current contract expires, in light of DHBs' responsibility in this area.

Examples of further work required Skill Enhancement (Rangatahi Māia and Tupulaga Le Lumana'i) was established in 1993 to provide a pathway for young Māori and Pacific peoples to achieve qualifications leading to further education and training or employment. The review has recommended further work to consider the longer-term options in regard to the relevance and value for money for the programme, so that it targets areas of significant labour market disadvantage, and works to strengthen monitoring.

the Department of Corrections has a number of motivation, rehabilitation and reintegration programmes targeted at Māori because of the view that culturally appropriate programmes may motivate offenders to change their behaviour and therefore reduce the risk of re-offending. For example, tikanga programmes combined with other rehabilitation programmes might be more effective than rehabilitation programmes alone. As a result of the review, the Department of Corrections will evaluate these programmes, focusing on the outcome of reducing re-offending to ensure that they are effective.

No change examples

The Ministry of Health’s National Screening Unit contracts providers, including a small number of Māori and Pacific independent providers, to deliver cancer- and cervical-screening services. These targeted contracts are aimed at increasing the screening coverage rates of Maori and Pacific women through appropriately-tailored health promotion activities and support services. The review confirmed that it is appropriate for the Screening Unit to target resources to areas of high need in this manner. The Asian Public Health Agreement is a contract between the Ministry of Health and the Asian Network. It aims to improve the health sector's knowledge about Asian public health needs in the Auckland region. The review confirmed that it was appropriate at present to contract an Asian group to facilitate the flow of information between Asian communities and the health sector, given the Asian population in the Auckland region and the projected growth of Asian communities in the area. The agreement provides a single reference point to guide the health sector about how best to address the health needs of Asian people. The Ministry of Health will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of the Agreement on an ongoing basis.

General Questions and Answers on the Review

When did the reviews start? On 24 March 2004, the government approved the establishment of a Ministerial Review Unit (MRU) within the State Services Commission to plan, monitor and co-ordinate reviews of policies and programmes within the core public service to ensure they were based on need, not race. Chief executives of the relevant departments undertook the reviews. What did the reviews look at? The objective of these reviews was not to eliminate targeting or targeting by ethnicity but to explain what the policies and programmes under review are intending to achieve and review whether targeting by ethnicity assists in achieving that objective. The reviews should have clearly demonstrated a need; shown that the need still exists; and shown that ethnicity is an indicator of the need. The reviews should have described the intervention logic (i.e. provide a credible theory or evidence) as to how targeting by ethnicity helps address the need. In making its assessments on programmes the SSC’s Ministerial Review Unit has considered targeting by ethnicity appropriate where: a need is clearly established and those in need identified; ethnicity helps identify those in need better than other available information; people in need are not excluded from services because of their ethnicity; tailoring of the delivery of a programme for particular groups is likely to help reach those in need or increase the effectiveness of the programme; and there is clear evidence of effectiveness. Who has coordinated the review work?

The Ministerial Review Unit, based in the State Services Commission managed the review process. Its role was to plan, monitor and co-ordinate reviews of policies and programmes within the public service. The relevant departments undertook the reviews.

How were the policies chosen for review?

Departments were asked to identify all policies and programmes according to selection criteria developed by the Ministerial Review Unit. On 31 May 2004 the government approved the policies and programmes for the first phase of reviews. The second tranche was announced on 2 November 2004.

What happens now? The release of these reports concluded the work of the Ministerial Review Unit, and it will now be disestablished. The further work that has been requested on individual programmes will now be done by the individual departments who will in turn report to their ministers, and in many cases to Cabinet.

ENDS

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