Investing for Social Wellbeing - Your voice, your data, your say on social wellbeing

Minister for Social Development Carmel Sepuloni has today announced the Government is seeking New Zealander’s views on social wellbeing and how to best protect and use people’s personal information.

“We will be working with the social sector to develop a single shared set of rules and tools for the use and protection of personal information in the social sector,” Carmel Sepuloni said.

“This Government firmly believes in consulting people about decisions that impact them. There is more data available than there has ever been before, but there is confusion about when it is appropriate to collect and share that data.

“This initiative is the start of building a systematic approach to the way we work with data and wider evidence, to improve how government makes decisions and delivers services.

“It’s important the public trusts how Government uses data, and this Government is very aware that agencies need to work hard to rebuild public trust and confidence in data use.

“We not only want to develop an approach to social wellbeing that treats people with dignity and respect, but also give people confidence that data will be used constructively to support New Zealanders.

“We are going to implement this approach – not just talk about it. This initiative will move beyond the previous social investment focus on gathering data for data’s sake.

“By making better use of a wide range of data, evidence, and people’s experiences, we can develop real solutions for people and ensure effective services reach those who need them most.”

Editor’s Note:

From May to August The Social Investment Agency will be engaging with NGOs, government agencies and people who use social sector services in 28 locations around the country. Input from the sessions will inform the government’s approach to investing for social wellbeing and a draft policy for the social sector, relating to personal information.

The Government’s investing for social wellbeing approach will then be finalised and a draft data protection and use policy will be shared publically towards the end of the year. In 2019, the policy will be reviewed and made final.

More information can be found at https://sia.govt.nz/our-work/yoursay

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