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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 the effective policy coordination 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
Financial performance
| 30.06.02 Actual $000 |
30.06.03 Actual $000 |
30.06.03 Main Estimates $000 |
30.06.03 Supp. Estimates $000 |
|
| 8,635 8,401 234 |
Revenue - Crown Expenditure Surplus |
7,445 7,034 411 |
6,843 6,843 - |
7,445 7,445 - |
Key Task
Providing good information and effective advice that enables the Prime
Minister to lead and manage the public-policy business of the government.
Achievement
Advice was provided on a wide range of issues, in a timely manner.
Leadership and coordination services were also provided in respect of a wide
range of policy issues.
Key Task
Ensuring that the Prime Minister and other key clients show a
high level of satisfaction with the advice and coordination services provided.
Achievement
Feedback from the Prime Minister is provided to the Chief Executive
and the Director of the Policy Advisory Group on a regular weekly basis, as
well as on an ad hoc basis, and is acted on. Feedback is received from other
ministers and chief executives on the quality and timeliness of the advice
and coordination services provided.
The Prime Minister and other key clients have informed the department of their satisfaction with the advice and coordination services provided.
Key Task
Providing advice to the Prime Minister and Governor-General on constitutional
policy and procedural issues.
Achievement
Advice and support was provided to the Prime Minister and Governor-General
on constitutional and administrative steps associated with the general election
and the subsequent formation of the new Labour-Progressive Coalition government.
Advice was provided to the Prime Minister on a range of Ministerial issues.
The Directory of Portfolios, which lists the agencies and legislation administered
in each portfolio, was updated as at 1 July 2002 and again, following the
formation of the government, in October 2002. An update of the Schedule of
Responsibilities delegated to Associate Ministers was presented to the House
on 1 October 2002; and it was further updated and presented to the House in
February and June 2003. An update of the Register of Ministers’ Interests
and Assets was presented to the House on 12 December 2002.
Key Task
Providing advice on policies, processes and procedures relating to Cabinet,
Cabinet committees and Executive Council; administering and maintaining the
conventions, policies and guidelines in the Cabinet Manual, the Step by Step
Guide and related Cabinet Office circulars; and providing policy and procedural
advice and information on these matters to Ministers’ offices and departments.
Achievement
The Cabinet Office administered the “caretaker government” convention in respect
of Cabinet decision-making procedures during the period of caretaker government
following the general election.
Advice was provided to the Prime Minister on coalition consultation and decision-making procedures under the new government and on the formation and operation of Cabinet committees.
Thirteen Cabinet Office circulars were prepared and issued in 2002/03 on a range of issues, including government decision making during the period of caretaker government and resumption of business after the formation of the new coalition government.
A number of briefing sessions for new Ministers were arranged following the formation of the government after the general election. Briefings on Cabinet procedures were also provided to new staff in Ministers’ offices.
The Office provided 3 briefing seminars to departments on the Cabinet decision-making
process.
Key Task
Providing impartial secretariat services to Executive Council, Cabinet
and Cabinet committees including: preparing agendas; checking that submissions
meet the requirements set by Cabinet; preparing summary cover sheets for submissions;
recording decisions; and distributing submissions and minutes.
Achievement
Cabinet Office provided secretariat services to 174 Cabinet and Cabinet committee
meetings and 34 Executive Council meetings over the year. This compares with
238 and 40 respectively in 2001/02.
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 1 for the business statistics for Executive Council, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees).
There were 90 summary cover sheets all prepared for submissions to Cabinet and Cabinet committees during the past year. This compares with 2,414 in 2001/02.
Eighty-five per cent of submissions were received in the Cabinet Office by the Cabinet deadlines for lodging papers. Eighty-three per cent of submissions were distributed to Ministers’ offices within the Cabinet Office’s performance targets for the delivery of papers (i.e. two days before the meeting). The comparative figures for 2001/02 were 85 per cent and 79 per cent.
There were 2,108 Cabinet and Cabinet committee minutes recorded over the year, compared with 2,750 in 2001/02. All Cabinet committee minutes are issued within two or three days of the meeting, before the next meeting of Cabinet. Ninety-seven per cent of all Cabinet minutes were issued within three days of the Cabinet meeting; this figure 99% in 2001/02.
Ninety-eight per cent of all Cabinet and Cabinet committee minutes did not
require amendment by the Cabinet Office (this excludes amendments to committee
minutes made by Cabinet). This figure was the same in 2001/02.
Key Task
Co-ordinating the policy and administrative aspects of the legislation
programme, as directed by the Cabinet Legislation Committee.
Achievement
Advice and support was provided to the Leader of the House and the Cabinet
Legislation Committee on the management of the government’s legislation programme
for 2002 and the preparation and management of the legislation programme for
2003.
Key Task
Providing 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.
Achievement
Policy continued to be developed and ongoing advice given on operational service
medals, as well as on new regulations for the New Zealand Memorial Cross,
long-service awards, and a new Polar or Antarctic medal.
Warrants and regulations were finalised for the New Zealand Operational Service Medal, the New Zealand Special Service Medal (for Nuclear Testing), and a new New Zealand General Service Medal (for service in Afghanistan and the Solomon Islands).
The Honours Secretariat of the Cabinet Office advised and assisted the Prime
Minister and the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee on the compilation
of the New Year Honours List 2003 (187 recipients) and The Queen's Birthday
Honours List 2003 (185 recipients). Four investiture ceremonies were held
at Government House in August 2002 and four in April 2003.
Key Task
Maintaining the records of Cabinet and providing related information services.
Achievement
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.
Key Task
Providing integrated advice on domestic and external security, defence
operations, intelligence and counter-terrorism preparedness; providing advice
on the operational effectiveness of the emergency management system at a national
level; and providing advice to the Parliamentary Committee on Intelligence
and Security.
Achievement
Four meetings of ODESC1
(Intelligence), two of ODESC (Terrorism), nine of ODESC (SARS), and six others
were held. Watch Groups on terrorism, people-smuggling, and Iraq were held
throughout the year.
Key Task
Providing a system of intelligence collection and assessment activity
that reflects policy priorities, national requirements, and available resources
and that ensures a coordinated and harmonised outcome.
Achievement
Three meetings of the Foreign Intelligence Requirements Committee and 34 meetings
of the Current Intelligence Requirements Groups were held. The Prime Minister
and other key clients were satisfied with the advice and coordination services
provided.
Advice was provided to the Prime Minister on a range of domestic and external security issues. The Prime Minister was satisfied with the quality of this advice and with the support provided for the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament.
Negotiating Terms and Conditions for Government Agencies’ Advertising and Publicity
Key Task
Negotiating annual volume-incentive media agreements that are advantageous
to government departments and agencies.
Achievement
Negotiations with media for the year ended 30 June 2003 were completed by
the end of July 2002. Details of agreements with media for 2003/04 were communicated
to government agencies during August.
Climate Change Programme (to 31 January 2003) when it was transferred
to the Ministry for the Environment
Key Task
Providing good information and effective advice that enables the Minister
responsible to lead and manage the public policy aspects of the government’s
The Climate Change Programme.
Achievement
Recommendations on confirmed policy package and Kyoto ratification were finalised
for Cabinet.
Assistance was given during the passage of the Climate Change Response Bill through the Select Committee stage; the Bill passed into law.
Climate-change policy package was confirmed by Cabinet, and the Kyoto Protocol was ratified by December 2002.
First New Zealand input was provided for the guidelines on emissions from land use, land-use change and forestry produced by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
New Zealand was instrumental at the 8th Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC
in finalising the guidelines for monitoring, reporting, and review under the
Kyoto Protocol.
Key Task
Implementing public consultation and communication programmes in relation
to the Kyoto Protocol ratification and domestic policy options.
Achievement
Completion of consultation on the preferred policy package; feedback was compiled
and analysed.
Proposals were sought for a research programme on public awareness of climate change; researchers were engaged.
A media campaign was developed, to show how climate change will affect the regions of New Zealand.
A second climate-change booklet for school children, which aims to get their
input on how New Zealand can reduce greenhouse gases, was released.