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A change of government presents major challenges for the public service. There are the constitutional processes and the details of administrative machinery to be attended to - a major task in itself. But just as important is the need for the public service to gain the respect, trust and confidence of the new Government, because that relationship is critical to the business of good government.
Forging that relationship was the biggest challenge for the public service in the year under review. While it is a challenge for any government department, it is an even bigger one for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Not only do we have to meet the expectations of our Minister - the Prime Minister - the wide ranging nature of our operational brief means that we have to meet the expectations of the Cabinet as well. This is a task made even more challenging against the background of a political coalition.
I am proud of the way the department responded to the challenge. The Cabinet Office responded promptly to the constitutional and administrative tasks demanded by a change in government. The department's Policy Advisory Group (PAG) continued to provide high-quality, professional advice to the new administration, reflecting both the need to be free and frank and the need to present our advice within the context of the policies articulated by the new government, before and after the election.
In my last report for the year ending June 1999, I talked about the department's role in preparing for two activities of immense importance to New Zealand - the APEC meeting to take place in September 1999 and the turn of the clock from one century and one millennium to the next on December 31, 1999.
The 1998/99 year was the planning year for these two events. The year under review was when the planning was put to the test. The department came through with flying colours. The External Assessments Bureau (EAB) provided the Prime Minister and Ministers with comprehensive briefing material on all of the leaders and senior politicians from the 21 economies represented at APEC and our senior staff worked with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to provide on the ground support in Auckland before and during the meeting. At the same time, Government House in Auckland was made available for the meeting between two visiting Heads of State, the President of the United States of America and the President of the People's Republic of China. The security arrangements for that meeting alone tested our capacity and ingenuity.
The transition from one millennium to the next took place without significant stress - either from risks to public safety as hundreds of thousands of revelers took to the streets, or from damage to our economic and social infrastructure in the event of widespread failure of computer-dependent equipment.
The department's Domestic and External Security Secretariat (DESS) provided co-ordinating support, making sure that the separate strategies of the Ministry for Emergency Management and the Y2K Commission complemented each other on the night. As it happened, there were no emergencies. This may have been the outcome with no planning at all, but risk management must err on the conservative when it comes to issues of public safety.
Overseas events, particularly those associated with the Asia-Pacific region, have made big demands on the department over the past 12 months, involving both EAB and DESS. New Zealand is deeply involved in the continuing task of ensuring that the people of East Timor can exercise their democratic right to self-determination in safety. At the time of writing, the crises in Fiji and the Solomon Islands had yet to be resolved. The political and economic stability of our region matters to New Zealand. The department has had a continuing role in providing up-to-date information on events overseas affecting New Zealand's interests.
This year has seen a review of New Zealand's defence capabilities. From time to time, the department is called upon to set up and provide support to Prime Ministerial reviews and taskforces. At the beginning of 2000, we provided these services for the Hon Derek Quigley's review of the previous Government's decision to purchase F-16 strike aircraft from the United States. A report published in June produced by the department's EAB provided background to the recently completed defence policy framework.
The Crime Prevention Unit (CPU) has continued both to support the network of 65 Safer Community Councils throughout the country and to develop effective local crime prevention interventions in partnership with communities. Further community managed restorative justice programmes were established in Gisborne, Wanganui and Waimakariri.
A highlight during the year was the international success of the first of these schemes - Project Turnaround from Timaru - which won a prestigious "International Community Justice Award" in London, during January. The award was presented to representatives of the project by HRH The Princess Royal on behalf of the UK Association of Chief Officers of Probation and the Central Probation Council.
A further neighbourhood based safety programme was established in Flaxmere and the CPU has also been working with other agencies and communities on a variety of crime prevention initiatives which address issues such as preventing burglary, problems related to youth at risk, disorder arising from alcohol and drug misuse, and family violence.
The work of the CPU also received international attention through the Director's presentation to the workshop session of the 10th United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders in Vienna.
The staff at Government House continued to support the Governor-General of New Zealand, His Excellency The Right Honourable Sir Michael Hardie Boys, and Lady Hardie Boys. The Governor-General undertook an extensive programme of official duties and engagements in New Zealand and overseas, including New Caledonia and Fiji. Their Excellencies the President of the United States of America, Bill Clinton, the President of China, Jiang Zemin and the President of South Korea, Kim Dae-Jung were received by the Governor-General during the state visits immediately following the APEC meeting.
In September 1999, The Queen's approval to the new series of New Zealand Gallantry and Bravery Awards was announced. The Governor-General officially launched and presented the first awards to recipients at a special ceremony at Government House, Wellington, on 7 March 2000.
The Honours Secretariat has implemented the new Government's policy to discontinue titular honours. The change to the system, though technically complex, was successfully achieved in a very short timeframe.
In addition to the regular New Year and Queen's Birthday Honours lists, a special list, which recognised the contribution made by military and police personnel and civilians in East Timor, was published with The Queen's Birthday Honours on 5 June 2000.
Conclusion
It has been an extremely full and busy year. I have been constantly impressed by the ability of the department's staff, not only to provide quality advice and services to the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and members of the Cabinet on a day to day basis, but also to rise to the occasion when additional demands are placed upon them.
I believe that we have ably demonstrated that we have the capacity and the capability to deliver on our statement of purpose. That does not mean, however, that we should rest upon our laurels. The demands placed upon our democracy are many, varied and ever-changing. That is why I will be reviewing the ability of the department to meet the future needs of the Prime Minister. Constant and critical review of our past performance is the key to making sure what we do well now is done even better in the future.
Mark Prebble
Chief Executive