Policy, acts, and ALMPs

How do we understand the broader regulatory system which shapes how we employ and support the careers of individuals in New Zealand? We have a complex system of legislation and policy, supported by a network of agencies.

Public - or governmental - policy has been defined as "government actions which contain both [-] however poorly identified, justified and formulated [-] goal(s) or aims and some means or tools, again however poorly specified and articulated, which are expected to achieve them" (Howlett & Cashore, 2020, p. 10; emphasis added).

Therefore government policy is a two part construct:

• goals/aims AND
• means/tools for actioning those goals/aims.

Our National Career System Strategy (NCSS) is government policy, even though we are - as yet - a little hazy on how the NCSS will be actioned. And policy links to legislation. New Zealand "Laws should give effect to the policy intent while upholding legal and constitutional principles. Careful policy analysis and early consideration of legislative design helps achieve this outcome. It’s important for the policy process to consider legal issues proactively, so that advice can include an informed assessment of whether legislative change is the right intervention for the problem or opportunity" (DPMC, 2023).

Acts in New Zealand are defined as "a law passed by Parliament" (Parliamentary Counsel Office, 2023). An act details the law, as it stands, on the statute books of Aotearoa New Zealand, and should assist the government of the day to achieve their aims.

Combined with the government of the day, policy and acts must fit first with our de facto constitution, Te Tiriti o Waitangi; and secondly with international policy, so we are a 'good' global citizen (which is where the SDGs come in; United Nations, 2024). 

Then we come to the government of the day’s vision for employment. The employment and welfare systems define and constrain governmental active labour market policies (ALMPs). 

ALMPs, while set by government, are managed by the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) through funding, services, operating models, client outcomes, programme effectiveness, programme coverage, international spending comparisons and the steps MSD is taking to improve employment outcomes. The Welfare Expert Advisory Group was established as an advisory panel to help prevent the loss of living standards seen through Government policy direction in the 1980s and 90s. The latest report was delivered just before the Covid-19 outbreak, and so suddenly became out of date (WEAG, 2019).

So acts surround policy (aims and actions) which surround ALMPs. 

Sam

References:

DPMC. (2023). Policy and law. Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/our-programmes/policy-project/policy-advice-themes/policy-and-law

Howlett, M., & Cashore, B. (2020). Chapter 2: Public policy definitions and approaches. In G. Capano, M. Howlett (Eds.), A Modern Guide to Public Policy (pp. 10-21). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Parliamentary Counsel Office. (2023). New Zealand Legislation: Glossary. https://www.legislation.govt.nz/glossary.aspx

WEAG. (2019). Employment and Labour Market: Active labour market policies in New Zealand [report]. Welfare Expert Advisory Group/Kia Piki Ake. http://weag.govt.nz/assets/documents/WEAG-report/background-documents/29c1cc3696/Employment-and-Labour-market-010419.pdf

United Nations. (2024). The 17 Goals. https://sdgs.un.org/goals