A study of social welfare administration in New Zealand; the structural reform and its realization

Abstract

The main purpose of this thesis is to try to explore the need for a new structure of social welfare administration in the "welfare state", of New Zealand. In order to realise this purpose, we think that it is necessary to understand the historical background and the present situation of organizational structures, then turn to study their functioning and defects, and the necessity for a new structure of social welfare administration. For many years, the idea of forming a single Social Welfare Department has been advocated by political scientists, administrators, and other interested people, and it now seems that the government is moving towards such a realization. But the basic consideration for this change is how to organize it. In other words, if it is necessary, how to reform the existing multiple structures. Therefore, in this thesis the central problem is reorganization of social services in the sense of structural reform. Particularly, the focus is upon "social security" administration. Accordingly, the three following areas will be emphasized: