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After the recent review of Child, Youth and Family (CYF), the Office of the Children’s Commissioner (OCC) has come to the conclusion that the system is failing children on far too many fronts. In fact, the Children’s Commissioner goes as far as to doubt that children are better off in state care at all. Read more

Labour has launched an open letter imploring the cabinet to stop the implementation of social bonds. It argues “social bonds are an untried and unproven experiment that have failed overseas.” Let’s reflect on this a bit. Read more

Judging by the excitement the Government’s announcement on social bonds has created, a revolution in social services must be just around the corner. According to critics like Labour’s Annette King, social bonds amount to a covert “privatisation”of the sector. Read more

It is too early to judge social bonds, writes Jenesa Jeram. For a concept few people had heard of before, social bonds have attracted a fair bit of criticism very quickly. Read more

It is a mighty feat of politics that a government budget delivered well can keep commentators occupied for weeks. The Budget sets the terms of debate, pulling into sharp focus areas that receive additional funding, have had funding cut, or remain fiscally neglected by government. Read more

Begging the reader’s indulgence, please bear with me while we conduct a brief thought exercise: Imagine for a second you received a letter telling you that the Transport Authority had conducted a review of your driver’s license. The letter says that having examined your stated reason for driving, insurance claims and record on the road against the department’s official definition of a driving purpose, you have been judged unfit to drive, and your licence has been cancelled. Read more