Expand your mind
A curated list of readings that Frank collects to stretch your policy thinking.
Demonstrating the complexities of being poor; an empathy tool
This 2014 research report came out of the Families 100 project, which involved extensive research with 100 families experiencing poverty in Auckland. The report uses ‘composite characters’ to…
Speaking for ourselves: The truth about what keeps people in poverty from those who live it
This 2014 research report came out of the Families 100 project, which looked into the lives of 100 families who use foodbanks, to understand what prevents them from moving out of poverty. Eight key…
Learning what works for whom at what cost
Understanding what works for whom at what cost starts with asking the right questions. Questions should be framed to help a policy professional: • understand the population who will be the target of…
Report writing guidance
This guidance is aimed at any local government officer involved in the report writing process: writers, reviewers, managers and governance professionals. It supports officers to provide robust,…
Guidance Note: Best Practice Monitoring, Evaluation and Review
This guidance sets out the basics of monitoring, evaluation and review (MER) for legislation, regulation or other policies – and argues MER should be built into any policy process early on. Simple…
Risk, wellbeing, and public policy
Risk is a long-standing consideration for policy professionals, behavioural economists, and others. It can also be thought about as a dimension of wellbeing, with different people having different…
Free and frank advice, and policy stewardship
Providing free and frank advice is integral to the development and delivery of policy stewardship, good policy decisions, and to the legitimacy and performance of a politically neutral public…
Best practice regulation: Setting targets and detecting vulnerabilities
New Zealand’s 1991 Building Act created a new regulatory environment, but led to the leaky building crisis. In light of the crisis, Peter Mumford asks whether New Zealand’s regulatory environment…
Anticipatory public budgeting: Adapting public finance for the 21st century
Governments face long-term challenges, but while infrastructure investments take a long-term view, other types of government spending do not. Anticipatory budgeting considers how a government could…
