Recreation and leisure are rarely of central interest in political discussions of public policy, but they merit careful consideration for a number of reasons, which is the basis of this occasional paper prepared as a submisson to the Royal Commission on Social Policy. The two authors make a number of recommendations from their areas of expertise: leisure studies and recreation leadership education.

This joint Lincoln University and Victoria University occasional paper was prepared as a submission to the Royal Commission on Social Policy and has been published in the Report of the Royal Commission on Social Policy, Volume IV, pp. 505-33, 1988. The authors gratefully acknowledge the permission of the Royal Commission in allowing publication as an occasional paper.