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This report covers a busy year in which there has been the usual range of policy and administrative challenges confronting DPMC. The work of the Foreshore and Seabed Group was concluded early in 2005, following the passage of the Foreshore and Seabed Act by the House of Representatives in November 2004. The Group, which was led by DPMC but drew on staff from a number of agencies, made a strong contribution over more than a year to the eventual legislative outcome to this issue.
Problems arising from the NCEA scholarship examination in 2004 resulted in DPMC contributing to a substantial review of the education sector, together with the other central agencies. The review covered aspects of the work of the Tertiary Education Commission, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, and the Ministry of Education. It was released in June 2005.
Other matters handled by DPMC during the year included the successful completion of the redevelopment project at Government House Auckland, as well as leadership of the cross-government processes that dealt with the foot and mouth disease hoax in May. The department also played a co-ordination role in New Zealand’s response to the Indian Ocean tsunami crisis. Activities like these show DPMC’s important “troubleshooting” role – where it needs to react to an event and then speedily co-ordinate a whole-of-government approach for dealing with it.
On the management front, the past year has seen a range of efforts to consolidate and replenish the resources the department has at its disposal – particularly the human resources that are critical to its mission. With the support of the senior management team, steps have been taken to assess and improve internal support and management mechanisms, including the information technology infrastructure and the risk management framework. We have also reviewed aspects of our capability, as well as some of our recruitment practices and internal communications. In particular our review focused on the quality and diversity of the people that we are able to attract and retain, and on the support mechanisms available to deliver our outcomes.
In March, we undertook a climate survey to assess staff perceptions of their employment with the department. This was the first such survey for many years, and will be repeated next year (2006). The survey revealed strong levels of satisfaction with the work environment at DPMC, and a high level of staff commitment.
The purpose of this range of management initiatives is to build, over time, an even-stronger platform for the effective operation of the department in support of the Prime Minister and the Governor-General.
Together with Treasury and the State Services Commission, DPMC undertook an initiative to improve collaborative practices amongst the central agencies, including support for whole-of-government objectives. We also worked in support of the State Services Commissioner as he developed and promulgated his new development goals for the state services. The chief executives of the three central agencies have, for the first time, committed themselves to the achievement of a shared departmental outcome, and to improving the way their organisations work together in support of broad government goals.
Last year’s annual report recorded that there had been a number of senior management changes in the department. This year, new blood has again been brought into DPMC – both at the management level and more widely throughout the organisation. It is gratifying that the department continues to attract high-quality applicants from diverse backgrounds, for the roles it advertises. We shall continue to give priority to recruiting talented, energetic and committed staff who have a strong wish to contribute at the centre of the government system.
In November 2004 Andrew Kibblewhite was appointed to the key role of Director of the Policy Advisory Group, in succession to Mary Anne Thompson; and in September last year Tia Barrett assumed the role of Official Secretary to Her Excellency the Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright. David Baguley was appointed as Director of the Honours Secretariat in the Cabinet Office in November, following the retirement of Phillip O’Shea. Phillip remains the New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary to the Queen, a position he has held continuously for nearly thirty years. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2005 Queen’s Birthday Honours List, in recognition of his services in developing the New Zealand honours system.
Their Excellencies Dame Silvia Cartwright and Peter Cartwright completed another busy year of engagements supported by staff at Government House. Royal visitors to the House included HRH the Prince of Wales. Other visitors included the President of Pakistan, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the President of Indonesia, and the Governor-General of the Solomon Islands.
The Governor-General travelled extensively throughout New Zealand in the past year. She also undertook state visits to Malaysia, Oman, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Chile, and Singapore in order to develop closer relations with these countries. In addition, she attended a special 25th anniversary session of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women at the United Nations in New York. The Governor-General also represented New Zealand at the funeral of His Holiness the Pope in Rome, at the celebrations for the marriage of HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in London, and at the Moscow commemorations of the 60th Anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.
This report covers my first full year as Chief Executive. I should like to thank the staff of the department for the professionalism they have shown over the last twelve months, both in executing their individual responsibilities and in supporting me. The commitment and enthusiasm I see from staff, every day and in every aspect of DPMC’s diverse responsibilities, is heartening. It gives me confidence that we are maintaining the strong traditions of this key central department – and also that we are able to continue to improve the services we provide to the Prime Minister and the Governor-General.
Maarten Wevers CNZM
Chief Executive