A pioneering public interest test for all new policy in NSW, requiring politicians to answer detailed questions on need, costs and evidence supporting new legislation, will be watched as a potential model to be rolled out in other jurisdictions.
The statement is not compulsory, but bills submitted without one have the potential to be put on ice indefinitely, due to provisions that force the MP introducing the bill to state whether it includes the statement. “Anything that prompts governments to institutionally consider if new legislation or policy is needed, whether stakeholders including industry have been consulted and if unintended consequences can be avoided, is a good thing,” she said.Institute of Public Affairs executive director John Roskam said the model should be watched by other governments around the country.
“A statement of public interest can help policymakers face the challenge of limited knowledge, by gathering evidence on the nature of the problem, alternatives to fix the problem, and undertake public consultation on the impact of policies.”The legislation is the culmination of a three-year lobbying effort by the Evidence-Based Policy Research Project, a not-for-profit governance advocacy group spearheaded by former NSW Treasury secretary Percy Allan.