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The Social Investment Agency (SIA), formerly known as the Social Wellbeing Agency, is a New Zealand government departmental agency within the Public Service Commission.^[1] The Social Investment Agency was established in July 2017 by the Fifth National Government.^[2] In March 2020, the Sixth Labour Government renamed the agency as the Social Wellbeing Agency to reflect its new social wellbeing approach.^[3] In July 2024, the Social Wellbeing Agency was revamped again as the Social Investment Agency by the Sixth National Government.^[1]

Mandate and leadership

The Social Investment Agency is responsible for overseeing and coordinating the government's social investment approach. The responsible minister is the Minister of Social Development which, as of 2023, is Louise Upston.^[4]^[5] The agency is headed by a board known as the Social Investment Board, which oversees its program.^[6]

As of 1 July 2024, the Agency's functions including setting consistent standards government agencies and contracted providers' agencies, advising and facilitating the development of infrastructure for social investment, working with agencies to implement the social investment approach and implementing ongoing reviews of social sector spending.^[6]

The agency defines its social investment approach as using data and evidence to understand people's needs; establishing clear, measurable goals and focusing on effective strategies; measuring and comparing service effectiveness using a informed decision-making approach; and empowering local providers to deliver services to their communities.^[6] The agency's work will also be supported by a Social Investment Fund, expected to come into operation by 2025.^[1]

History

Launch

On 24 April 2017, the Minister Responsible for Social Investment Amy Adams announced that a new Social Investment Agency (SIA) would be established from 1 July 2017 to replace the Ministry of Social Development's Social Investment Unit. The SIA was tasked with advising the New Zealand Government on social investment and building the "social investment infrastructure" for government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to help frontline workers provide targeted services.^[2]

The Agency was created around the concept of "social investment" - the use of data to target social spending towards certain disadvantaged groups with the aim of achieving the best "return" in terms of long-term social outcomes and government costs resulting from social issues.^[7]^[8]

2020 revamp

When the Sixth Labour Government came to power following the 2017 New Zealand general election, it placed the agency and its approach under review. As a result of this, it was reformed into the Social Wellbeing Agency from 19 March 2020 with the aim of being "more people-focused" by "looking at people and their needs" in addition to the existing data-based approach.^[3]^[8]

2024 revamp

In May 2024, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis announced that the Social Wellbeing Agency would be revamped as the Social Investment Agency by 1 July 2024. The revamped agency would be a standalone central government agency with a revised mandate and new leadership board. Willis also announced the establishment of a new Social Investment Fund by 2025 to work with non-governmental organisations and iwi (tribal) providers to deliver services to vulnerable New Zealanders.^[1] While in opposition, the National Party had campaigned on establishing a Social Investment Fund to help disadvantaged citizens.^[9]

In early August 2024, Willis confirmed that the SIA would become one of the New Zealand Government's central agencies alongside the New Zealand Treasury, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Public Service Commission, and the new Ministry for Regulation. This would give the Social Investment Agency oversight over other government departments. In addition, Willis announced that the Government would appoint a new permanent chief executive and advisory board for the SIA.^[10] On 24 September, Police Commissioner Andrew Coster was designated by Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as the new chief executive of the SIA, effective 11 November 2024.^[11]