NZ State Sector: Turnaround In Public Sector Performance Is The Key
March 25th, 2010
What the Key coalition is seeking to deliver out of the public sector is different from what any previous administration has done. Faced with fiscal stringency previous Govts imposed cuts, or restructuring. The Key Govt is not focused on cash savings, but rather on transforming what one Minister described as “an often crap service delivered at high cost” to one which is both competent and what the customer wants. The Govt is using a management process to drive change.
Departments which have grasped the need to re-think their delivery and processes are already moving into a new phase. Ministers cite ACC where the financial numbers are turning around, Housing undergoing a floor-to-ceiling overhaul with a big IT focus to treat their tenants as customers, and health where the concentration on service delivery is becoming visible through, for example, PHO markers so patients can identify those doing well and those which aren’t. In education, because of the Govt’s concentration on the policy of implementing national standards, the Ministry is adapting, and parents can see the substance of the policy.
The internal logic will drive the delivery of better quality outcomes. Ministers are convinced the Govt’s support is holding at high levels, because NZers perceive the Key coalition is engaged in a wide range of issues. They see the Govt isn’t after quick fixes, but has a long-term strategy. When the country goes to the polls, voters will judge the Govt on its competence, especially if the public sector is performing to a higher standard, at lower cost.
Copyright © Trans Tasman Media Ltd
Duncan Cotterill