Heartland Services 1/4

Hon Steve Maharey
Minister of Social Services and
Employment

Hon Jim Sutton
Minister for Rural Affairs

13 December 2000

Media Release

Rural people will get improved access to government services through the
"Heartland Services Initiative".

Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey and Rural Affairs
Minister Jim Sutton said today the Heartland initiative aimed to improve face to
face' contact with government agencies for people in rural areas.

The initiative will improve government service delivery through government
staff synchronising their visits to remote towns once or twice a month as part
of an "outreach" service, and through the establishment of or participation in
service centres in some smaller provincial towns.

Mr Maharey and Mr Sutton said the initiative would be progressively
rolled-out as collaborative arrangements between agencies are made.

"It is an evolutionary approach, but one that as it takes place will support
isolated communities and voluntary agencies in rural areas.

"Social services most sought by rural communities include benefits and
pensions, employment, childcare and protection, rental housing, tax and family
assistance, Maori land issues and accident compensation.

"Government agencies such as ACC, the Maori Land Court, Housing NZ, IRD, the
Department of Work and Income and others are to work together so they time their
business in a small rural town on the same day of the month.

"Currently, direct contact with the deliverers of these services is often
only available in larger centres. The purpose of the initiative is to bring the
services directly to the more remote rural towns.

"This will be of real benefit to rural people who otherwise face great
inconvenience or cost as they deal with the different agencies from a distance."

Remote towns being considered for an "outreach" service to improve direct
access to government service include Maungaturoto, Ohakune, Katikati, Tokomaru
Bay, Cromwell, Ranfurly, Hokitika and Winton.

Service centres will provide a central place for the delivery of a range of
related Government and community services.

A service centre could be located in an existing government building, or some
other suitable location. Community and local authority support, the availability
of suitable premises, the capacity and need for government departments to
participate and funding would generally be required.

"The initiative has attracted community interest and support in areas where
its potential introduction has been raised, such as Dannevirke, Northland,
Turangi and South Taranaki. Joint government and community working groups are
already developing proposals which it is hoped will come to fruition over the
coming months.

"The Heartland Services is a Government-supported initiative to help bring
the heart back into our rural communities," the Ministers said.

What is a Heartland Services Initiative?

There are two components to the Heartland Services Initiative:

• The establishment of (or participation in) service centres in certain
  smaller provincial centres;
• The provision of regular joint departmental "outreach" services to remote
  communities

The initiative builds on improving government interagency co-operation to the
benefit of the rural community.

Why are these services being established?

• To improve access to government services for people in rural areas
• Improve government interagency collaboration
• Support community/voluntary agencies in rural areas

Studies have shown that the past 15 years of restructuring of services has
meant many rural people now just have remote access to government services. Even
the commercial centres of rural districts now have few government agencies other
than schools, the Police and the Department of Work and Income.

However the populations of many small towns and rural areas are growing from
natural increase and migration. Migration of people on low incomes to rural
towns has led to the transfer of some urban social issues to rural areas where
there are fewer on the ground support services.

Many people in rural areas see delivery of government services as fragmented
and lacking in co-ordination. This can cause direct and indirect financial and
other costs for rural people.

This initiative is designed to help improve the delivery of Government
services.

How will these services be established?

Before a service centre is developed or an outreach service established a
number of factors will have to be considered. These are:

• District council and community interest to provide local leadership and
  support
• The availability of suitable, existing premises (which, in relation
  particularly to the outreach service, offer a safe and secure environment for
  staff)
• The capacity of the government departments to participate
• Availability of finance (for service centres)

When and where are these services going to be
established?

Rollout of the outreach service can be managed within existing departmental
funding and can therefore go ahead now, subject to community interest and
capacity of government departments to participate.

ACC, Maori Land Court, Housing NZ, Inland Revenue Department, and the
Department of Work and Income are already working on implementing this
initiative in a small number of areas. Other departments are being asked to
consider how they might join in.

There are establishment and ongoing costs associated with setting up the
Service Centres, for such things as rent, fit-out and furnishings, receptionist
etc. Costs would vary from site to site, depending on the location and building
chosen. Further work is underway as to how these might be funded.

In the meantime, it is expected a small number of centres can get started
soon through using existing government offices. At this stage, premises in
Northland, Paeroa, Turangi and South Taranaki are being looked at for
suitability. Officials are also looking at other areas to see what options might
be available.

Are any in operation now?

An outreach service began in the South Hokianga in October following strong
community interest and support. It involves a number of government agencies
synchronising their visits to the area.

How will the community or voluntary sector
benefit?

Community interest and support for either a service centre or an outreach
service is important if their introduction is to be effective and the
investment, in terms of time and travel, worthwhile. Local councils can provide
leadership and community support for the service improvement.

It is a longer-term aim that the service centres would see voluntary or
community groups located in the same building as government agencies, so the
voluntary sector can gain some tangible support from the government agencies
they are working with, through sharing resources like meeting and interview
rooms, training facilities and photocopying equipment.

That would provide a one-stop shop for people in the community and improve
the linkages between government and community services in communities. However
there are a number of issues still to be worked through in this initial stage,
such as security of tenure for community organisations.