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Government Inquiry Project Planning

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Government Inquiry Project Planning

Plan a small inquiry into how government decisions affect people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Use the fictional scenario and planning tools below. There is more than one good inquiry topic; the answers give examples to help you check your thinking.

A local issue to investigate

A fictional community has noticed that the bus service used by many rangatahi is less frequent in the evenings. People are discussing whether the problem is mainly a local council matter, a central government matter, or involves both. Your inquiry should find out how decisions are made and how people can have a say—not simply argue for one answer.

1.Which option best describes the purpose of a civics inquiry about evening buses?

To collect facts and viewpoints so you can explain how public decisions are made and who is affected.
To prove that one group in the community is wrong.
To copy the first explanation you find online.
To memorise the names of every government minister.

2.Match each responsibility with the government level most commonly associated with it in New Zealand. Some real-world responsibilities can involve more than one level.

Making national laws and setting national policy
Planning many local roads, footpaths and community facilities
Providing a route timetable and running buses

Local government
A transport operator, often working with a regional council
Central government

3.Which is the most focused and researchable inquiry question about the bus scenario?

How are decisions about local bus services made, and how can rangatahi share their views?
Are buses good?
Why is everything unfair?
What is government?

4.Rewrite the broad question “Is the bus system fair?” as one question that names a group, a decision or effect, and a place or context.

5.You find two sources: (A) a current regional council page explaining its public transport plans, with a date and contact details; (B) an anonymous social media post saying “the council cancelled every bus” with no evidence. Which is the stronger starting source, and what should you check before relying on it?

6.Name two different people or groups whose viewpoints could help explain the bus issue. For each, say what they might know.

Build a workable plan

A strong inquiry has a question, reliable evidence, more than one viewpoint and a clear way to share findings. Use the timeline to make your plan manageable.

Week 1 — Choose a focused question; list what you already know and what you need to find out.

Week 2 — Find and record information from current, reliable sources; note dates and authors or organisations.

Week 3 — Compare viewpoints; check important claims against another source; organise evidence.

Week 4 — Answer the inquiry question using evidence; prepare a short presentation, report or infographic.

7.Number these inquiry actions from 1 to 4: share a conclusion; refine the inquiry question; compare evidence and viewpoints; gather information from sources.

8.Choose a New Zealand government topic—for example, how a law is made, how people vote, what a council does, or how young people can take part. Write one focused inquiry question and name two kinds of sources you could use.

9.In the timeline, which week is the best time to compare viewpoints and check claims against another source? Explain why this step matters.

10.Explain one way a young person could take part in a public decision in Aotearoa New Zealand, and one reason it is important to represent different viewpoints respectfully.