The Statement of Public Interest (SPI) is a policymaking tool that is used in the NSW Legislative Council.
It is a requirement of the NSW Parliament that government bills introduced in the Legislative Council (Upper House) must be accompanied by a Statement of Public Interest (SPI).
An SPI ought to demonstrate consideration of the public interest and good process being followed in the development of legislative policy in NSW. The objective of the SPI is to resource Members of the Legislative Council to support informed decision-making on proposed Bills, and improve the transparency of policymaking processes for Parliamentarians and the public.
The Statement of Public Interest must answer the following six questions that address the need and evidence base for the Bill:
1
Need: Why is the policy needed based on factual evidence and stakeholder input?
2
Objectives: What is the policy’s objective couched in terms of the public interest?
3
Options: What alternative policies and mechanisms were considered in advance of the bill?
4
Analysis: What were the pros/cons and benefits/costs of each option considered?
5
Pathway: What are the timetable and steps for the policy’s rollout and who will administer it?
6
Consultation: Were the views of affected stakeholders sought and considered in making the policy?
Not all SPIs tabled in Parliament fulfil these intended purposes.
Research undertaken by the Evidence Based Policy Research Project found that around 1 in 3 SPIs tabled in the NSW Legislative Council were below standard i.e. they were not sufficient to deliver on the stated objective.
Many SPIs justified the Bill being put forward for consideration, rather than outlining the evidence-informed and transparent public policy development process which informed Bill development.
Many SPIs justified the Bill being put forward for consideration, rather than outlining the evidence-informed and transparent public policy development process which informed Bill development.
The Shadow SPI initiative seeks to encourage exemplary policymaking processes, and resource evidence-informed decision-making.
The Shadow SPI initiative seeks to raise expectations of what Parliamentarians should expect in an SPI. The objectives are to improve the quality of tabled SPIs and their usefulness, and to shine a light on the importance of transparency in legislative policymaking. If SPIs better document and demonstrate sound policymaking processes, and if they are used to inform decision-making, NSW can set a new standard for evidence-informed policymaking in the public interest.
The Shadow SPI initiative will produce a companion SPI for substantive government bills submitted to the Legislative Council.
Each Shadow SPI will be developed by a collaborative team from two ideologically differentiated think tanks (Per Capita and Blueprint Institute). The Shadow SPI will address the same six questions as the SPI, and be distributed to Members of the Legislative Council and made publicly available on this website.
The Shadow SPI initiative aims to create a constructive, public example of effective and transparent evidence-based policymaking and to support enhanced awareness, knowledge and skills to produce high quality SPIs. The initiative is not about providing commentary on the merits of legislation or advocating for MPs to vote on Bills in a particular way.
The Shadow SPI initiative aims to create a constructive, public example of effective and transparent evidence-based policymaking and to support enhanced awareness, knowledge and skills to produce high quality SPIs. The initiative is not about providing commentary on the merits of legislation or advocating for MPs to vote on Bills in a particular way.