Somewhere along the way, the public policy advisory system got lazy. It blurred the line between equality and equity, treated them like interchangeable buzzwords, and stopped thinking clearly. The talk is access and outcomes in the Poneketanga, but they design services for sameness. And while they argue over language, the system keeps failing the same…

The ‘public policy cycle’ is a familiar concept. It is often presented as a rational decision-making model, supported by tools and evidence. While the terminology shifts slightly across organisations, the pattern is usually the same. Problems are identified and analysed to decide whether intervention is justified. A response is then designed, usually drawing on a…

I am interested in the persistent tension between professional judgement and managerial practice: a tension that matters greatly for public policy. Managerialism places significant weight on evidential approaches to policymaking. Yet, I have four concerns about how these approaches are often applied. First, I am concerned about the confidence officials place in their information systems….

Last week, a graduate analyst I mentor asked why I’m so against evidence-based policy. I was a little surprised. I’m not against evidence. What I try to do, consistently, is make sure my advice doesn’t naively wish away the emotion, uncertainty, complexity, contest, power imbalances, and plurality that shape public policy. For me, evidence-informed policy…