Simon Wright

Not Just Service - Citizens can do policy too!
Presenter(s): Simon Wright, Ministry for the Environment, John Pennington, Ministry for the Environment
Air Date: 5/21/2009
Length: 1 Hour 23 Minutes 57 Seconds

GOVIS - Civic 2 - Day 2 - 3.30pm Session

The idea of ‘user-centred government’ is too limited. New Zealanders are not just ‘users’, ‘clients’, ‘recipients’ or ‘individuals’. They are also self-reflexive, moral, knowledgeable, social beings who can work in dynamic, two-way processes and develop policy recommendations on complex issues.

While not recognised as ‘experts’, citizens possess relevant, useful knowledge, experiences and skills. They are able to give reasons for how they know and why they know what they know. They also know who they trust and why. Through the process of deliberation, citizens, experts and policy makers can strengthen relationships, create new and shared understandings and secure commitments for action. Global institutions such as the OECD are supporting efforts to go beyond consultation and empower citizens to take active roles in agenda setting, framing issues and accessing the value of competing approaches.

In a facilitated, interactive session, you will be able to make your own assessment of a deliberative approach to citizen-centred policy and decision-making.

Key learning points:
1. That deliberation is not scary.
2. That deliberation is a learning process.
3. That deliberation can lead to better decisions in terms of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, accountability, trust and legitimacy.

http://richmedia.govis.org.nz/govis/viewer/?peid=fde8ac9e-a637-4878-8c05-115cab6bf868

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