Picot task force

The Picot task force was set up by the New Zealand government in July 1987 to review the school system. The mandate was to review management structures and cost-effectiveness, but did not include curriculum, teaching or effectiveness. The Government largely accepted the recommendations, with legislation giving effect to a new era in education coming into force on 1 October 1989. Membership The members of the task force were: Brian Picot, a businessman, Peter Ramsay, an associate professor of education at the University of Waikato, Margaret Rosemergy, a senior lecturer at the Wellington College of Education, Whetumarama Wereta, a social researcher at the Department of Maori Affairs and Colin Wise, another businessman. Picot, had a high profile in the retail industry, having served as a director of several major New Zealand companies. He was also involved in public service, being president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in 1975 and Pro-Vice Chancellor of Auckland University in the 1990s, and in 2001 was "inducted into the Fairfax Business Hall of Fame in 2001 and made a distinguished fellow of the Institute of Directors in 2007". Review process The task force was assisted by staff from the Treasury and the State Services Commission (SSC), who may have applied pressure on the task force to move towards eventually privatizing education, as had happened with other government services. Other organisations initially invited to meet with the Taskforce were the New Zealand Māori Council, the Kohanga Reo Trust and the Māori Women's Welfare League, while the teachers' union was excluded because of concerns from some organisations about possible "provider-capture".