Hong Kong Today ----Government Policies

&Exam Technique

Liberal Studies(通識教育科 )

Patrick Tsang

Conflicts vs Harmony ： --- causes of conflicts

Interest conflicts Beliefs conflicts Ideas conflicts Values conflicts Cultural conflicts

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Interests conflicts

Power Money Status

Resources lands finance human

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Some key functions/duties of the Government for the promotion of good quality of life

Political Good Governance ( 良好管治 ): setting

& implementing effective public policies ( 公共政策 ); effective & efficient use of public money, avoiding wastage; controlling corruption; “people first ( 以民為本 )”

Conducting fair elections ( 公平選舉 ); Proposing & enforcing laws

( 立法與執法 ); Protecting legitimate rights & freedoms

of its people( 保護市民合法權利與自由 ); Exercising values, such as “Justice ( 公義 )” and “Equity ( 衡平 )”

Security Ensuring national security &

maintaining public order; Environmental

Ensuring sustainable development; Designing & implementing effective

environmental policies

Economic Promoting free market ( 自由市場 ); Maintaining economic growth

(GDP growth) ( 經濟增長 ); Maintaining low unemployment

rate ( 低失業率 ); Ensuring low inflation rate ( 低通脹 ); Investing for the future in

infrastructure and human resources ( 基建與人力資源投資 )

Social maintaining a harmonized, stable

and safe society ( 和諧與穩定 ); Mobilizing and partnering with

Non-government organisations (NGOs) ( 動員非政府機構 )

Providing quality education “Social justice ( 社會公義 )”,

redistribution of income through social welfare, social services, medical services, and low cost housing

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How Government makes decision?

“Policy Cycle”

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Issue Identification

Policy analysis

Policy measures

Consultation

Coordination

Decision

Implementation

Evaluation

「 Policy Cycle 」

「 Policy Cycle 」

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Hot Policies in Hong Kong

The Poverty Linehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKUFtKOHaLM

The Population PolicyThe video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Ye0K9d6YL0

Housing PolicyVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpVjfYIAjsYVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GFU4sEwlWYPolicy document: http://www.cityu.edu.hk/hkhousing/pdoc//2013.9.3_LTHS_consultation_doc_e.pdf

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Policy Cycle (I)

Issues identification & definition ( 議題確定 ) what is the Issues? ( 議題 )

Issue Analysis/ Policy Analysis ( 議題 / 政策分析 ): things to be considered in formulating a policy what causes the issues? ( 引致議題出現的因素 ) Feasibility analysis ( 可行性分析 ) stakeholders’ interests/values/ideas ( 各持分者的利益、價值、理念 ) Impact ( 衝擊 )

Political ( 政治 ), Economic ( 經濟 ), Environmental ( 環境 ) Justice/Equity ( 公義 / 衡平 ) Human Rights Law ( 人權法 )

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Policy Cycle (II)

Policy Instrument ( 政策報告書 ) Policy tools (measures) ( 政策工具 ( 措施 ))

Consultations ( 諮詢 ) 對外對內諮詢

Coordination ( 內部協調 ) Decision ( 決策 ) Implementation ( 執行 ): Evaluation ( 政策評估 ):

Economy ( 節約 ), Efficiency ( 效率 ), & Effectiveness ( 成效 )

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Multiple stakeholders Perspectives

The government The Legislators The people The social institutions

Interest/pressure groups, the NGOs, the family, the school, the church.

The political parties The young people, the parents, the teachers The shareholders of companies The employers and the employers The consumers Any other stakeholders you can name?

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Policy Tools ( 政策工具 ) Public education( 公眾教育 )

Positive & Negative ( 正反教育 ) directing public ( 引導公眾 ) Mobilising social institutions,

such as Non-government organization (NGOs), schools, church. etc. ( 動員社會機構 )

Using market force ( 借助市場力量 )

Leave it to the market Public-private partnership ( 公私合作 Privatisation ( 私有化 ) Contracting-out ( 外判 )

Law ( 立法 ) Imposing taxes ( 課稅 ) Imposing duties ( 加予責任 ) Conferring rights ( 授予權利 ) Self-regulating ( 自我規管 ) Regulating ( 規管 )

Issuing guidelines ( 指引 ) Issuing codes & rules ( 守則 ) Issuing licenses ( 發牌 )

Prohibition ( 禁制 ) Finance & Resources ( 財務與資源運用 )

Use of “land” ( 土地 ), Use of “buildings” ( 樓宇 ) Tax incentive ( 稅務減免 ) Subsidies ( 資助 ), etc.

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Feasibility ( 可行性 ) Financial ( 財政 )

Capital investment ( 資本性的投資 ) Recurrent gain or loss ( 經常性支出 )

Resources ( 資源 ) Technology ( 技術 ) Resistance ( 阻力 )

Stakeholders’ Interests ( 持分者阻力 ) Resistance to change ( 改革阻力 )

Implementation ( 執行 ) The administrative and management capability ( 行政與管理能力 )

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Accountability Framework: -- Outcome-based policies

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Who makes decision?The Government vs Legislative Council

The Legislative Council• Approving policies• Scrutinising performance of

the Government• Scrutinising bills, rejecting

bills, amending and endorsing bills to make law

• studying reports and questioning the Government

• investigating Government’s problems

The Government • Formulating Policies• Implementing polices• Drafting bills ( 起草法案 )

• Preparing reports• Appearing in Legislative

Council and its Committees to answer questions raised by Legislative Councilors.

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公義 (Justice)

Natural justice/procedural justice自然公義 /程序公義

Compensatory justice補償公義

Retributive Justice刑罰公義 Distributive

Justice分配公義

Commutative justice交易公義

The 2 principles of Justice

• Treat like case alike, • different case differently;

• let no one be the judge in his own causes.

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Conflict Resolution & Essentials for Harmony Building

Norm: agreed practices, codes, rules, law, etc

Trust-building: understanding, accommodating, mutual-respect, open & honest, fair & equal, caring, positive attitude, etc (thin trust vs thick trust)

Reciprocity: positive responses to the action of other, put your feet on other’s shoes, mutuality, universality;

Networks: mediators, support groups, communities, social network, extended family, neighbours, etc

Mutual Support Right time, right place and right person(s); Mutual-benefiting; win-win solution; compromising on major issues while allowing minor differences unresolved; using external pressure & support.

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Learn from others on Multicultural Policies( 多元文化政策 )

How do Australian Government define the principles for setting their multicultural policy?

The Australian Government celebrates and values the benefits of cultural diversity for all Australians, within the broader aims of national unity, community harmony and maintenance of our democratic values.

The Australian Government is committed to a just, inclusive and socially cohesive society where everyone can participate in the opportunities that Australia offers and where government services are responsive to the needs of Australians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The Australian Government welcomes the economic, trade and investment benefits, which arise from our successful multicultural nation.

The Australian Government will act to promote understanding and acceptance while responding to expressions of intolerance and discrimination with strength, and where necessary, with the force of the law. 17

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See how others take measures

Some initiatives that support multicultural policy in other countries, such as Australia:

Establishment of the Australian Multicultural Council –an independent body that advises the government on multicultural issues and acts as a champion of our multicultural nation.

National Anti-Racism Partnership and Strategy – A partnership of government and non-government representation, led by the Australian Human Rights Commission, to develop a National Anti-Racism Strategy for Australia. A three-year plan for government to work with community partners to combat racism across schools and higher education, the media, government service providers, workplaces and the internet.

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See how others take measures

Some initiatives that support multicultural policy in other countries, such as Australia:

Multicultural Arts and Festival Grants (MAFG) – MAFG provide opportunities for Australians of all backgrounds to come together and experience different cultural heritages and traditions, which in turn encourages social cohesion and mutual understanding.

Multicultural Youth Sports Partnership (MYSP) Program – The MYSP aims to create sustainable opportunities for youth from new and emerging communities and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds to participate in sport and physical activity within local communities.

(Australia Government: http://www.immi.gov.au/media/fact-sheets/06australias-multicultural-policy.htm)

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Exam Technique 3: Structure of answers to questions

Briefly define the key conceptual words

State your stance & indicate in what perspectives/ ideas/ solutions (Y1, Y2, Y3, …) you are going to explain/argue your stance or recommendations;

1st Argument/Idea: supported with examples from information given or your own experience. (if the questions say “or your own knowledge”);

When you cite information from the source, put “…… ” to what you cite. But this information is used to support your idea/argument only. It cannot be used to substitute your own ideas/ argument.

If possible, state the key idea/argument you are going to elaborate in the first sentence of each paragraph;

Use at least one conceptual term to represent your idea or illustrate your argument if possible.

Give a short conclusion to each argument to voice your original stance;

2nd … other ideas/ arguments: repeat with other perspectives, and with short conclusion for the idea/argument.

Using a linking word to link the ideas together, using such as firstly, secondly, or to further support, to further elaborate, etc.May 3, 2023 Patrick Tsang

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Exam Technique 3: continued

Conclusion

Reservation & Rebuttal: For question asking “to what extent you agree”, you have to give at least one “rebuttal” ( i.e. give one counter argument), and rebut it. And if possible, give one reservation, that is a counter argument which you think it may probably be right, and state that this counter argument is not strong enough to change your stance after you have weighed the arguments on the 2 opposing sides. This is a way to show your critical thinking skill and it shows why you are to a large or small extent agree.

Rebuttal: For question asking “do you agree”, you have to give at least one “rebuttal” , i.e. give one counter argument, and rebut it.

For question asking “discuss”, you have to discuss both arguments for and against, but you have no need to do any rebuttal, unless the question is phrased in an argumentative form. Then you have to take a stance.

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Elaborate about 3 to 4 supportive arguments for argumentative questions using above format; for solutions, factors, or other type, just follow the number required.