LAWS 206 - technical accountability

Front

Has there been a shift in focus on technical accountability in NZ?

Back

Yes.

Front

What are Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes?

Back

Inputs are the things invested, outputs are the targets to meet in order to achive the broader goal, and the broader goal is the outcome!

Front

How do Inputs, Outputs and Outcomes hold the executive to account in NZ?

Back

Under the PFA 1989 (s38 and 40), the executive must provide a road-map to ministers, detailing as to how they plan to achieve the outputs/targets. Ministers hold the executive to account by assesing the executives performance in hitting targets/outputs as set out in the executives plan.

Front

What is one advantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ?

Back

Because the Outcomes are often for the benefit of society (e.g. safer roads, more paitents being treated better etc.), s 38 and 40 of the PFA 1989 allows ministers to hold the executive to account by requiring the executive to meet it's targets (outputs) in order to achive the ultimate goal (outcome) for the benefit of society (in theory).

Front

What is another advantage of the anual reports that are required to be provided to ministers under s 38 and 40 of the PFA 1989?

Back

These annual performance reports give state owned enterprises their success in terms of holding the executive accountable.

Front

What is another advantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ?

Back

Technincal accountability has led to the government being better informed when making it's decions. Moreover, governmental departments now have comprehensible objectives that leads to a deeper focus on the betterment of society, due to technical accountability.

Front

What is one disadvantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ?

Back

A disadvantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ, is that outputs don’t necessarily lead to outcomes, and the executive often measures what they can, not what they should.

Front

What does Goodhart's law state?

Back

Goodhart's law states that when the executive starts measuring targets/outputs, targets/outputs, cease to be a good measure. This is because the executive starts focusing on targets/outputs and how to game them, instead of focusing on the outcome for the benefit of society.

Front

What is the second disadvantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ?

Back

The systems in place to operate technical accountabilty as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ have been quite slow and costly. This is because they are quite beureucratic.

Front

What is the third disadvantage of technical accountability as a means of holding the executive to account in NZ?

Back

The third disadvantage, concerns state owned enterprises and how they may not be held to account via technical mechinisms of accountability. This is because state owned enterprises are not allowed to do things for the sole purpose of helping the government achive it's outputs. The sole purpose of state owned enterprises is to generate profit, which is why technical accountability may not be an effective means of holding parts of the executive (e.g. state owned enterprises) to account in NZ.