Note: This site's content is accessible to all versions of every browser. However, this browser may not support basic Web standards, preventing the display of our site's design details. We support the mission of the Web Standards Project in the campaign encouraging users to upgrade their browsers.
Advice was provided on constitutional policy and procedural issues to the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and, at the Prime Minister's direction, other Ministers, and government departments. Support was also provided in the coordination of the Government's legislation programme.
As part of this output, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet also promoted the collective interest of Government, monitored interdepartmental coordination of policy development and issues; and supported the Prime Minister in the formulation and implementation of the Government's goals and priorities.
Service performance
Financial performance of policy advice
| 30.06.99 Actual $000 |
30.06.00 Actual $000 |
30.06.00 Main Estimates $000 |
30.06.00 Supp. Estimates $000 |
|
| 3,695 - 3,555 140 |
Revenue - Crown Revenue - Other Expenditure Surplus |
3,664 5 3,663 6 |
3,689 - 3,689 - |
3,664 - 3,664 - |
Policy advice to the Prime Minister
| Key Task | Provide oral and written briefings on policy issues coming before the Prime Minister for her decision or the collective decision-making of the Cabinet. | |
| Achievement | Briefings were provided on a diverse range of policy issues.
The review of the F-16 lease arrangements was completed in March 2000 at a total cost of $81,755 (excluding GST) and the review was subsequently considered by Cabinet whilst taking decisions regarding New Zealand's future defence requirements. In March the department was directed to prepare a report examining contracts between government agencies and Te Whanau o Waipareira Trust for the delivery of services. The report noted that government agencies have been inconsistent in their approach to monitoring and evaluation. The report also noted that systems in the Waipareira Trust were not as good as they might have been, but that this was not unique to government agencies' relations with the Trust. It was recommended that the Associate Minister of Finance oversee the development of guidelines for contracts between government agencies and non-governmental organisations. The report highlighted the importance of capacity-building, a key part of the Closing the Gaps strategy, in assisting service providers. |
| Key Task | Provide strategic policy advice on emerging medium to long term issues. | |
| Achievement | Briefings were provided on a wide range of issues which included convening
the broadcasting policy development process which involved:
The department was also asked to review and recommend changes to the climate change policy development process and thus provide policy machinery that could support the government's expectations on decision timelines. That review resulted in DPMC chairing the officials steering group on climate change, the formation of a number of specialised interdepartmental working groups responsible for the detailed policy development work and the formation of a Ministerial group on climate change. The steering group itself has been narrowed to a group of key officials with a responsibility to provide strategic guidance to the policy process, as well as an interface with the Ministerial group on climate change. |
Promotion of collective interest and the Government's Key Goals.
| Key Task | Provide policy co-ordination services via officials' groups assisting the Chairs of Cabinet Committees as required. | |
| Achievement | The Policy Advisory Group coordinated a number of officials groups including those dealing with closing the gaps policies (see page 56), APEC, electricity, genetically modified organisms, oceans, Treaty, broadcasting, climate change, trans-Tasman issues. |
| Key Task | Provide advice and support to the Prime Minister to identify, formulate and implement the Government's key goals. | |
| Achievement | The Policy Advisory Group supported officials processes around the development of "Key Government Goals to Guide Public Sector Policy". These were released in March 2000 by the Prime Minister. |
Support for proper and effective operations of the key institutions of Executive Government
| Key Task | Provide policy advice on the administration, processes and procedures relating to the Executive Council, the Cabinet and Cabinet Committees. | |
| Achievement | The Cabinet Office supported central government procedures over the election period by maintaining an overview and advising the Prime Minister and the Governor-General on constitutional processes associated with the election. The Cabinet Office also provided briefings to the public service and the media as required on constitutional issues. |
| Key Task | Advice on the evolving policies and practices of executive government functions under coalition government, including review of the Cabinet Office Manual policies where appropriate. | |
| Achievement | Over the election period, the Cabinet Office advised on, coordinated
and monitored the application of the caretaker convention, provided generic
advice to the public sector and ministers' offices and advised the Prime
Minister and ministers on specific issues as they arose after the election.
The Cabinet Office provided official support for the government formation process, managed the technical aspects of the transition between administrations, provided advice and support for the swearing in ceremony of the new Government, assisted with briefings for incoming ministers and provided advice on the resumption of normal government business. |
| Key Task | Coordination and support of the policy and administrative aspects of the legislation programme as directed by Cabinet Legislation Committee. | |
| Achievement | The Cabinet Office provided advice and support to the Leader of the House, the Cabinet Legislation Committee and the House Business Committee on the management of the 1999 legislation programme for the previous Government, and on the preparation and assessment of the 2000 legislation programme for the coalition Government. A seminar for public servants on turning policy into legislation was held. The "Legislation and House Procedure Handbook" was revised. |
| Key Task | Advice on the policy aspects of the New Zealand Royal Honours system. | |
| Achievement | The Cabinet Office advised the outgoing and incoming governments on the New Zealand Royal Honours system, including the New Year Honours 2000, the Queen's Birthday Honours 2000, a special list for East Timor, and the first list for the new Gallantry and Bravery Awards. |
| Key Task | Advice to the Governor-General and the Prime Minister directly or in the context of the Executive Council. | |
| Achievement | Following the General Election, the Cabinet Office advised and supported the Governor-General, and the Prime Minister on issues associated with the change of government and appointment of the new Ministry. |
Domestic and External Security policy advice
| Key Task | Oversight of policy advice deriving from regular contact with key operational and policy agencies, leadership of counter-terrorism activities, and of other inter-agency activities on a case by case basis. | |
| Achievement | Four meetings of ODESC1 (Intelligence) and one of ODESC (Terrorism) were held. Staff attended counter-terrorism conferences in Australia. More than 100 Watch Group Committee meetings were held covering East Timor, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. |
| Key Task | Chair and lead the interdepartmental security coordination for the Apec 99 meetings. | |
| Achievement | Four meetings of full APEC Interdepartmental Committee on Security were held. An Infrastructure Risk Assessment was completed and continuous liaison was maintained with the Police (which was the lead agency) throughout the APEC leaders meeting and the subsequent state visits. |
| Key Task | Y2K national level contingency planning is effectively co-ordinated. | |
| Achievement | ODESC (Emergency) and Y2K working committees were co-ordinated and the department participated in the management arrangements over the New Year period. |