Responding to globalisation: comparing social policy in Australia and New Zealand
Alison McClelland and Susan St John
La Trobe University and Auckland University
Contact Email:   A.McClellandlatrobe.edu.au

This paper describes the changing nature of social policy and social inequality in Australia and New Zealand over the 1980s to the early 2000s. Both countries pursued neo-liberal economic policies as they responded to pressures of global markets. Reforms to social policies as well as economic policies were implemented, but there were differences in the way in which these policies were pursued in each country. The paper identifies trends in poverty and inequality and examines factors that may explain the emerging differences in these social outcomes. There are differences in starting points - economic, social and political that must be taken into account. Nevertheless there are also clear differences in the state’s response to globalisation and economic change, in particular the extent to which market-oriented policies were used, the nature and pace of the introduction of these policies, and the extent to which social policy was used to ameliorate or reinforce increased poverty and inequality. There are lessons to be drawn from looking backwards to these experiences for each country as we look forward to emerging social policy directions as governments respond to the intensified pressures of globalisation in the new century.

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