Table 1: Policy Assessment Criteria adapted from Dovers & Hussey(2013, p134) and applied to policy instruments of education, institutional change (policing), statute law, communication flows, community involvement and consultation Criteria Explanation Instrument: Education Instrument: Policing Instrument: Statute Law Instrument: Communication Flows Instrument: Community Involvement Instrument: Consultation Effectiveness Criteria Determining the likelihood of the instrument achieving goals. Information Requirements Is the information required to design the instrument available within the required timeframe? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Dependability Will the instrument be more likely than other options to achieve the outcomes required? Yes – Shown as core pillar in other effective containment programs No Yes No No No Corrective Versus Antidotal Factors Does the instrument target proximate or underlying factors? Corrective Antidotal (‘Band-Aid effect’) Corrective Corrective Corrective Corrective Systemic Potential Related to 1c), does the instrument have system-wide potential, influencing widespread causes of sustainability problems? Yes – Can target all Canberra through numerous channels of communication Yes – with large investment of many officers to cover all Canberra Yes Yes Yes Yes Flexibility in Time and Space Can the rate or style of application of the instrument be varied depending on the context, or as the situation or status of knowledge changes? Yes – Can be adapted to be more prelevant at particular of year, e.g. festival season Yes Yes – Could be applied to small or large area Yes Yes Yes Efficiency, in terms of achieving outcomes Will the instrument achieve the desired goals in an efficient manner? i.e. more outcome per unit of investment Yes – Low cost, high return No – High cost, smaller gain Yes Yes Yes – less enforcement from external source required No – high resource in time required
Complexity and Influence Can the instrument be with either fewer or identifiable/controllable impacts on other policy or social goals? Yes No – officers diverted to this policy means they are not available for other work No No No No Implementation Criteria Determining the likelihood of the instrument successfully advocated and implemented Equity Implications Who bares the costs of the application and implementation of the instrument – is it equitable? Public – is equitable Public – is equitable Public – possibly not socially equitable if cost is too high for some to comply Public – is equitable Public – is equitable Public – Must be careful to ensure appropriate segmentation of public is involved and there is no bias Cost Is the gross cost (including non-financial resources) bearable in a practical sense? Yes Expensive in long term Yes Yes – if willing to invest in technology/ infrastructure and maintenance Yes Yes Social/Political Feasibility Is the instrument likely to be deemed acceptable socially or politically by key groups or the public? Yes – Support from key welfare organisations & community at large Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes – would be highly supported by public Institutional Feasibility Does adequate institutional/ organisational capacity exist for design, implementation and monitoring of the instrument? Yes – many channels available: e.g.: Social media Television Yes – already have ranger program in Canberra Yes Yes – tools such as online portal must be created Yes Yes Monitoring Requirements Can the uptake of the instrument and/or its impacts Yes – Through survey and RSPCA statistics Yes – based on infringements given Yes Yes – number of registered cats and Yes – number of roaming cats Yes - survey
or effectiveness be monitored? users of an online tool detained by citizens Enforcement/ Avoidability Can the intended impact be avoided (eg behaviour change), and if so can the uptake of the instrument be enforced? Avoidable – need officers to enforce Not Avoidable large force all roaming cats can be caught Avoidable if willing to incur punishment – enforce through policing Not avoidable Avoidable Avoidable Communicability Can the logic, nature and implications of the instrument be communicated to affected parties? Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes