Over and out from Superu and the Families Commissioner

This is the last day of Superu as an entity, but I hope that the expectations for the place of evaluation that have built up over our time will continue to grow.

Governments cannot be properly held to account unless they can show that they are doing the right thing to the people affected by, or to those who are independent, of those accountable. Evaluation is not only about methods, but a recognition of people’s rights and a curiosity and commitment to want to do better.

Evaluation also requires Parliamentarians, agency heads, auditors, new media and advocates to appreciate that much policy is not well informed even if it is based on the best evidence we have. Often we cannot be sure that policies have been put in place in the manner assumed by policy makers. We simply cannot take account of all the diversity, mobility and variability in our society in making rules that are intended to be fair to all.

We have seen a lot more evaluation published over the past five years than the previous period, and the world has not fallen apart with the increased capacity to criticise and do better.

Let’s carry on in this way, as whatever name it will have in the future there is always a need for a Superu.

Len Cook

Families Commissioner and Chair of the Board of Superu

- Ends -

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Gordon Campbell: On The Government's Assault On Maori

This isn’t news, but the National-led coalition is mounting a sustained assault on Treaty rights and obligations. Audrey Young in the NZ Herald has compiled a useful list of the many ways Christopher Luxon plans to roll back the progress made in race relations over the past forty years. He has described yesterday’s nationwide protests by Maori as “pretty unfair.” Poor thing. More