Can Cooperation Be Mandated? Implementing Intergovernmental Environmental Management in New South Wales and New Zealand

Various forces have led to new thinking about approaches tointergovernmental regulation, emphasizing a shift from the heavyhand of coercive mandates to more cooperative approaches. Thisresearch examines the implementation of cooperative policiesaddressing aspects of environmental management in New SouthWales, Australia, and in New Zealand. Analyses are undertakenof the cooperative policy designs, government agencies' implementationefforts and styles, and local government officials' perceptionsof intergovernmental cooperation. Bringing about intergovernmentalcooperation is not automatic, nor does it appear to be easy.An empirical modeling shows that high levels of agency commitmentand capacity are required in order to foster facilitative implementationstyles. The design of policy mandates is important in signalingcooperative desires and structuring implementation to fosterappropriate agency implementation styles.