Pilot for independent mediation on the way

People who get poor service from Work and Income offices may soon be able to seek help from an independent mediator.

Social Development Ministry chief executive Peter Hughes says the ministry "will shortly be piloting a programme of independent mediation which will be available to clients to enable them to have an independent person mediate on a range of issues".

Spokeswoman Bronwyn Saunders said mediators would handle issues such as poor service and staff attitudes, but would not take over the ministry's legal role of determining benefit entitlements.

"We'll be contracting with a provider who is expert in this area," she said.

Negotiations with the provider are in the final stages and an announcement is expected within two weeks, with the pilot scheme to start before the end of the year.

The scheme will be in addition to the current systems for appealing against decisions on benefit entitlements - initially to a benefit review committee and then to the Social Security Appeal Authority.

Auckland lawyer Frances Joychild, who reviewed the ministry's decisions on marriage-type relationships in 2001, recommended an independent complaints officer to handle complaints against Work and Income "similar to the Insurance and Banking Ombudsmen".