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This class of outputs involves:
The department assists the Prime Minister in overseeing and leading the government as a whole. In addition, it supports the Cabinet decision-making process. As a central agency, the department has a clear role to play in promoting effective policy co-ordination across the public service. Ministers need to have complete trust in the quality of the advice and support the department offers on the proper conduct of government business within accepted conventions and practices.
Output Class 1 Financial Performance
| 30.06.06 | 30.06.07 | 30.06.07 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Actual $000 |
Actual $000 |
Main Estimates $000 |
Supplementary Estimates $000 |
|
| 7,750 | Revenue - Crown | 7,680 | 7,327 | 7,680 |
| - | Revenue - Other | - | - | - |
| 7,718 | Expenditure | 7,676 | 7,327 | 7,680 |
| 32 | Surplus | 4 | - | - |
Objective
To provide high-quality information, analysis and advice that enables the Prime Minister to lead and manage the public policy business of the government.
Performance
The Policy Advisory Group provided advice to the Prime Minister as necessary on Cabinet and Cabinet committee papers in time for her to use in Cabinet or Cabinet committee meetings.
The Policy Advisory Group provided briefing notes on issues of interest to the Prime Minister, either in response to requests from her or on the Group’s initiative.
All written advice provided to the Prime Minister was reviewed by the Director of the Policy Advisory Group and/or the Chief Executive. In most cases this review occurred after the advice was tendered; in sensitive or difficult matters the Director or Chief Executive reviewed the advice before it was submitted.
Feedback from the Prime Minister on any advice tendered was made available to the Chief Executive, the Director of the Policy Advisory Group, and the adviser concerned.
The Policy Advisory Group participated in a range of whole-of-government processes in support of the government’s themes and priority initiatives such as sustainability.
The Policy Advisory Group convened regular meetings of the Officials’ Social Development Committee, and briefed the Chair of the Cabinet Social Development Committee before each of that committee’s meetings.
Objective
To satisfy the Prime Minister that the Group’s advice and co-ordination services are provided to a high standard.
Performance
The Prime Minister gave regular feedback on the advice provided by the Policy Advisory Group. Formal feedback was also sought from other key stakeholders such as the Office of the Prime Minister and selected departmental chief executives.
Objective
To satisfy the Prime Minister that the department’s leadership and co-ordination roles are carried out effectively in a timely manner.
Performance
The Prime Minister is regularly advised by the Chief Executive (with the support of the Director of the Policy Advisory Group, the Secretary of the Cabinet, and the Director of DESG in their own specialist areas) of the range of activities undertaken to facilitate cross-agency co-ordination of policy advice and implementation. These activities include fortnightly meetings of departmental chief executives, convened to share information over policy directions; weekly meetings with counterpart central-agency chief executives; and interdepartmental co-ordination of particular policy priorities.
To provide impartial, efficient and effective secretariat
services to Cabinet and Cabinet committees to ensure
they operate smoothly and within Cabinet’s rules.
Performance
The Cabinet Office provided secretariat services to 194 (2005/06: 141) Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings and 35 (35) Executive Council meetings over the year.
The Prime Minister, the chairs of Cabinet committees, and ministers’ offices were consulted as required on the compilation of the agendas and acceptance of submissions for meetings. (See Appendix II for the business statistics for Executive Council, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees.)
There were 2,258 (1,549) summary cover sheets prepared for submissions to Cabinet and Cabinet committees during the past year.
Our performance target for the delivery of submissions to ministers’ offices is for all papers to be delivered two days before the meeting. In the past year 87 per cent (88) of submissions were received in the Cabinet Office within the Cabinet deadline for lodging papers.
There were 2,632 (1,743) Cabinet and Cabinet committee minutes recorded over the year.
All Cabinet committee minutes were issued within three days of the meeting, before the next meeting of Cabinet. Ninety per cent (92) of all Cabinet minutes were issued within three days of the Cabinet meeting.
Ninety-nine per cent (98) of all Cabinet and Cabinet committee minutes did not require amendment by the Cabinet Office. This excludes amendments to committee minutes made as a result of Cabinet decision.
Objective
To provide impartial and effective advice to the
Prime Minister and ministers to support the proper
operation of Cabinet and Cabinet committees.
Performance
Eight Cabinet Office circulars were prepared and issued in 2006/07 on a range of issues, including the fees framework for members of statutory and other bodies appointed by the Crown, administrative arrangements for the government coalition, confidence and supply and co-operation agreements, and Regulatory Impact Analysis requirements.
The Cabinet Office provided 8 (2005/06: 20) briefing seminars to departments and interested parties on the Cabinet decision-making process. The Secretary of the Cabinet also gave briefings to a number of chief executives and their senior management teams on Ministers’ expectations of Cabinet papers.
The Cabinet and committee online workspace is increasingly being used to provide information and guidance to ministers’ offices and departments on Cabinet and Cabinet committee procedures. Work also continued on developing the Step by Step Guide to Cabinet and Cabinet Committee Procedures into a web-based resource for daily use by ministers’ offices and departments.
During the year the Office organised four ministerial meetings with visiting prime ministers and presidents, in the Cabinet room.
Objective
To provide impartial and effective advice to the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and ministers:
Performance
Advice and support was provided to the Prime Minister and the Governor-General on a range of matters. This included the negotiation and resolution of Te Arawa’s claim seeking proper recognition of Haane Manahi. HRH the Duke of York represented Her Majesty the Queen at a recognition ceremony in Rotorua, co-ordinated through the Cabinet Office.
The Clerk of the Executive Council arranged an induction and briefing programme for the new Governor-General in advance of his taking up the role in August 2006. The Cabinet Office co-ordinated arrangements for the state farewell for the former Governor-General Dame Silvia Cartwright on 2 August 2006 and for the swearing-in of the new Governor-General the Hon Anand Satyanand on 23 August 2006.
Objective
To co-ordinate the policy and administrative aspects of
the legislative programme, as directed by the Cabinet
Legislation Committee.
Performance
Advice and support was provided to the Leader of the House and the Cabinet Legislation Committee on the management of the government’s legislative programme and the preparation and management of the legislative programme for the 2007 calendar year.
Objective
To provide advice on the policy aspects of the New Zealand
royal honours system, support for the compilation of
honours lists, and administration of the honours system.
Performance
The Honours Secretariat advised and assisted the Prime Minister and the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee on the compilation of the 2007 New Year Honours List (193 recipients) and the 2007 Queen’s Birthday Honours List (191 recipients). In addition, a list of New Zealand Bravery Awards (15 recipients) was announced on 20 October 2006 and a Special Honours List with four additional appointments to The Order of New Zealand was announced on 6 February 2007, to mark the 20th anniversary of the institution of the Order.
A review of the Queen’s Service Order and its associated Queen’s Service Medal was completed and, as a consequence, the two sub-divisions within the Order and the Medal (“for Community Service” and “for Public Services”) were abolished and a new Royal Warrant for the Order was approved by the Queen. Two new sixth-level honours were instituted during the year: the New Zealand Antarctic Medal, recognising those who make an outstanding contribution to New Zealand operations and objectives in Antarctica (instituted on 1 September 2006); and the New Zealand Distinguished Service Decoration, which recognises distinguished and meritorious services by members of the New Zealand Defence Force (instituted on 14 May 2007). Other important initiatives completed during the reporting period were the institution of the New Zealand Special Service Medal (Erebus) on 1 November 2006, and the publication of a new Order of Wear: Orders, Decorations and Medals in New Zealand.
Objectives
To maintain the records of Cabinet; and to provide related information services.
Performance
The Cabinet Office maintains records of all Cabinet and Cabinet committee meetings, administers the convention on access to documents of previous administrations, and provides advice to ministers’ offices on the storage and disposal of Cabinet papers.
The Cabinet Office receives and redirects Official Information Act requests for Cabinet documents and, in addition, handles substantive requests for information about the work of the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office, on behalf of the Prime Minister, consults with the Leader of the Opposition about the proposed release of official information dating from previous Opposition administrations.
In 2006/07 the Cabinet Office received 206 requests from ministers’ offices and departments for Cabinet papers.
To provide integrated advice on issues involving national security and defence, emergency management, intelligence, and counter-terrorism; and to guide and co-ordinate crisis-management arrangements across the government.
Performance
The Domestic and External Security Group (DESG) is increasing its capacity and skill base to co-ordinate and provide leadership on a range of policies and preparations for strengthening national security and stability and for dealing with various civil contingencies.
In particular, it is working with a number of government
agencies and with local authorities to:
This work is part of a long-term programme that is already having positive returns for the management of domestic and external security issues, and for building resilience in communities. National management, including responsiveness and co-ordination among central government agencies at times of crisis, has improved steadily in recent years.
As a critical aspect of its co-ordination role, DESG provided policy advice and support for periodic meetings of departmental chief executives under ODESC (Officials’ Committee for Domestic and External Security Co-ordination); chaired Watch Group meetings of specialists to deal with detail; and conducted regular meetings with officials from central government, local government, industry, and academia. Issues covered included:
The Prime Minister has provided regular feedback on the advice and co-ordination of DESG, and other agencies report that DESG adds value to government co-ordination and risk management.
Objective
To provide a system of foreign intelligence collection and assessment activity that reflects policy priorities, national requirements and available resources, and that also ensures a co-ordinated and harmonised outcome.
Performance
DESG chaired and provided secretariat support for meetings
of intelligence committees on a number of sensitive issues
throughout the past year. It also undertook other intelligence
co-ordination, which included:
In the past five years there has been growing emphasis on the use of intelligence to enhance security across a range of government departments. As a consequence, DESG has been involved in an increasing range of co-ordination and guidance activity.