17 March 2000

Submissions on WINZ Inquiry

State Services Minister Trevor Mallard said that 108 public submissions and 56 staff submissions to the inquiry into management practices at Work and Income New Zealand had been received by today's 5pm deadline.

Trevor Mallard said the public submissions, which had been forwarded to inquiry head Don Hunn, were from a mixture of individuals and organisation and covered a variety of areas within WINZ.

"I am advised by Mr Hunn that he is on track to report back to me by the end of April.

"The inquiry team has already visited WINZ offices in Auckland and over the next few weeks will visit the East Coast, Nelson, Christchurch, and Greymouth. The team will also interview Ministers, departmental chief executives and WINZ senior managers in Wellington.

"Government departments which were involved in the establishment of WINZ and those which have business dealings with the Department have been asked for their comment.

"A survey of around 250 community and voluntary groups is under way and responses have been sought by 24 March."

Trevor Mallard reiterated that the review would concentrate on the origin, current operations and future direction of the department itself.

"Under the Law the responsibility for assessing the performance of any individual public service chief executive rests with the State Services Commissioner, while the responsibility for assessing the performance of any other public servant rests with the chief executive of the department concerned.

"Mr Hunn has been asked to concentrate on those matters which would enable Ministers to make decisions, not only about WINZ as an organisation but, more importantly, how the Government's social policies could be implemented in the area of employment and income support," Trevor Mallard said.

ENDS

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