Government plan for annual 'social report'

A law making it mandatory for future governments to produce annual reports measuring New Zealand's performance in social matters is under consideration.

Social Development Minister Steve Maharey will present a paper to the Cabinet in the next two months.

The paper will outline a proposal for compulsory social reports each year with indicators measuring New Zealand's social performance against other OECD countries.

The proposed legislation is intended to make governments accountable for their social policy.

The reports will record information such as the fact that nearly a third of New Zealand children are currently affected by low household incomes and about one-fifth of the population lives in families with incomes below 60 per cent of the median.

Since 2001, the Government has produced a social report which measures how the country performs in areas such as education and health, but there is no law requiring such a report.

The social report uses a series of indicators to show how New Zealand compares with other OECD nations.

Last month, the Government produced "Opportunity for All New Zealanders", a multi-department report examining the Government's response to social issues. Mr Maharey wants such a report to be compulsory.

Today, the Herald's Buried Treasures series examines the report that has been criticised as a Government public relations exercise.

Mr Maharey portrays the social reporting law as the equivalent of the Fiscal Responsibility Act that former National Party Finance Minister Ruth Richardson implemented in the early 1990s to make the Government prudent in its budgeting.

Mr Maharey said Cabinet-level discussion on whether a social reporting law would be practical and useful must happen first.

"I want to do it, but I am not entirely convinced yet it is practical."

If the Cabinet agrees to the legislation it would be introduced in the next term of Government, he said, as it would be hard to get it passed during election year.

Mr Maharey said the motivation was to ensure future governments did not get into the same position as the last National Government, which "failed to invest in social policy".