Public Policy in New Zealand

Public policy matters, because it makes a difference - for better or for worse - to people’s lives. This book provides an introduction to public policy in New Zealand: what it is, who makes it, and how it is made.

Public Policy in New Zealand is also about the system of government in which policy is shaped. The book’s main purpose is to explain in a straightforward manner what the institutions of government are, and how they interact with citizens and interest groups to produce public policy. In short, this is a book about government and governance.

Contents

• The nature of public policy and the policy process
• The New Zealand constitution
• Cabinet and the Prime Minister
•  Parliament
• The Judiciary
• Factors which influence the policy process, such as the economic context, the electoral system, public servants and political advisers, political parties and interest groups
• Case-studies showing the policy process in action, focusing on social assistance reform, employment, and tertiary education policy
• Governance

Although this book is aimed at undergraduate students studying public policy, social policy and politics, it will appeal to anyone who is interested in how New Zealand is governed.