Ministers welcome Social Policy Research conference

The Social Policy Research and Evaluation Conference 2003, to be held in April next year, will help focus social research on priority issues, Social Services Minister Steve Maharey and Research, Science and Technology Minister Pete Hodgson said today.

The conference will focus on issues surrounding the production, sharing and use of high-quality, policy-relevant social research in New Zealand.

“The use of high-quality social research is central to a social development approach to policy,” says Steve Maharey.

“This conference will be an important opportunity for the New Zealand social policy and social research community, and leading international researchers and policy makers, to come together and share ideas. There are areas in social policy where New Zealand’s knowledge base is inadequate and this conference is part of the government’s efforts to improve our understanding and encourage evidence-based policy making,” Steve Maharey said.

New Zealand’s social science researchers will also get the opportunity to present the results of new research on social policy topics at the conference.

Pete Hodgson said the Government was looking to align social research more closely with social and economic policy priorities.

“Focusing the Government’s investment in social research more precisely is consistent with our drive towards a knowledge society. This conference will better inform both the research community and government about creating and using policy-relevant social research,” Pete Hodgson said.

The ministers are co-hosting the conference, which is being organised by the Ministry of Social Development and will be held at the Wellington Convention Centre on 29-30 April 2003.

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