A learning system for evidence informed social policy

Abstract

New Zealand needs to be deliberate in creating a learning system to generate and capture evidence to inform spending decisions for social policy and investment. Central Government spends around $34 billion (11% of GDP) on social services and another $31 billion on transfer payments such as New Zealand Superannuation and welfare benefits. We know relatively little about what works when, for whom and under what circumstances and we lack an institutional system to address the gap in our understanding. We don't know which spending is good value for money, which is ineffective and if any is downright harmful. These gaps in understanding are helping drive the Government’s implementation of a social investment approach, the focus of an NZIER Insight to be published in December.