In June 2019 a report ‘Foresight, insight and oversight: Enhancing long-term
governance through better parliamentary scrutiny’ was released (you can find the link for this report below). This report identifies some key
concerns with New Zealand’s parliamentary processes and suggests options for
reform. You should identify one reform in the report that you wish to critically
evaluate. In your essay, you should explore the relative strengths and weaknesses
of this reform, drawing on other material, including academic peer-reviewed sources,
to make your argument. Your essay should have a thesis – in other words, you
should be making a case for either adopting the reform or rejecting it (or, perhaps,
revising it to address weaknesses you identify). In making your case, you should
present arguments both for and against the reform.
Below is a list of background reading to get you started on your research:
Boston et al: “Foresight, insight and oversight: Enhancing long-term governance
through better parliamentary scrutiny”
https://www.victoria.ac.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/1753571/Foresight-insightand-oversight.pdf
Jonathan Boston: “Taking the fight to short-termism in government”
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/04-07-2019/taking-the-fight-to-short-termism-ingovernment/
Jonathan Boston: Safeguarding long-term interests in a short-term world
https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/91147477/jonathan-boston-safeguardinglongterm-interests-in-a-shortterm-world
Jonathan Boston: “Safeguarding the Future: Governing in an Uncertain World”
http://safeguardingthefuture.bwb.co.nz.helicon.vuw.ac.nz/index.html
Bryce Edwards: “Political Roundup: How to achieve transformational change in
politics”
https://mailchi.mp/criticalpolitics/political-roundup-how-to-achieve-transformational-change-in-politics
