How to treat policy whiplash

Abstract

Election day approaches, and conversations around Wellington are turning to what I will call policy whiplash. Opinion polls indicate that New Zealand voters may replace their current centre-left coalition government with a new centre-right government, in which case public servants would be asked to reverse policy direction once again in areas such as employment relations, resource management, the bulk funding of schools, school zoning, and work for- the-dole. Over the last two decades, New Zealand has become known for its frequent changes in policy direction, epitomes of which include four major health sector restructurings, alternating models of public and private accident compensation, and alternating approaches to housing assistance based on income-related v market-based rents.