DEMOS

New Zealand is well positioned to succeed in a new century; its economic, social and natural assets combine to make it a highly successful society. But if this potential is to be fulfilled, then New Zealand’s public services must be ready to help the country adapt to a series of long-term trends. From climate change to neighbourhood renewal, the challenges of the future will not be met either by government acting alone – or without it acting at all. Instead, government must become a democratic partner in people’s lives, helping individuals and communities to solve problems and realise their ambitions. This report argues that the time is right to go beyond restoring the capacity of New Zealand’s public sector. The next step is a full-scale renewal of its purpose, systems and ways of working. This will mean a reappraisal of the relationships at the heart of government, adopting a more evolutionary approach to policy design, and harnessing the energy and creativity of those working at the front line. Government ‘by the people, for the people’ may not come easily, but infusing this principle into New Zealand’s public services will be vital to the full-scale renewal of the public realm. People and government must learn to trust one another again.