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Publications ~ Statement of Intent
for the year ending 30 June 2007

 

The Role of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

DPMC provides impartial, high-quality advice and support to the Executive (the Prime Minister, the Governor-General, and the Cabinet).

 

Supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet

 

The Prime Minister is the political leader of the government and the country – and its main public “face”. The Prime Minister is also the chair of Cabinet, and is responsible for the effective operation of collective government. These roles combine political and executive responsibilities.

DPMC provides three kinds of direct support to the Prime Minister.

 

Issues that are the direct responsibility of the Prime Minister

An important part of this support is for constitutional issues relating to the conduct of executive government – including the formation of government and transitions between administrations – and issues associated with the operation of the Cabinet system.

 

Issues across the range of government business

As the political head of the government, the Prime Minister must have an overview of government activity and access to information on any and all issues that arise. DPMC works with the rest of the public service to achieve this, co-ordinating activity where necessary – for example, working with the other central agencies and with key departments to ensure the government’s three priority themes (economic transformation; families– young and old; and national identity) are supported.

 

Administrative support to the Prime Minister

This includes services such as preparing replies to Parliamentary questions, and dealing with Official Information Act requests and other correspondence.

A totally separate body, the Office of the Prime Minister, also advises the Prime Minister and is the primary point of responsibility for coalition management.

 

Supporting the Governor-General

 

DPMC also supports the Governor-General in carrying out her functions. New Zealand is a constitutional monarchy. This means that The Queen is New Zealand’s Head of State but her powers and those of her representative, the Governor-General, are almost always exercised only on the advice of ministers and the government. The Governor-General is therefore a significant figure in the constitutional framework, with constitutional, ceremonial, and community roles that together build and foster our national identity and unity.

 

Bringing the system together

 

A great deal of DPMC’s activities focus on facilitating government decision making at a strategic and operational level. To achieve this, the department relies on close relationships with other departments and agencies and – depending on the issue – on local government, industry, and the community.

 

DPMC’s business units

 

The Cabinet Office has 24 staff and:

• provides impartial secretariat services to the Executive Council, Cabinet, and Cabinet committees
• provides impartial advice to the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and other ministers on certain constitutional policy and procedural issues, especially those contained in the Cabinet Manual
• assists in the co-ordination of the government’s legislative programme
• administers the New Zealand Royal Honours system
• acts as a channel of communication between the Governor-General and government, and has responsibility for the overall policy and administration of Government House.

The Policy Advisory Group has 15 staff and:

• provides impartial advice on issues of the day directly to the Prime Minister and, on occasion, to other ministers
• co-ordinates the advice coming in from different government departments, so that the Prime Minister is given coherent and impartial advice
• contributes to policy development across the full range of government business, including co-ordinating the provision of advice across agencies.

 

The External Assessments Bureau has 29 staff and:

• makes objective assessments of external events and developments to inform government decision making, using the widest possible range of information from available open and classified sources
• produces reports to inform the members of inter-departmental watch groups that co-ordinate New Zealand’s responses to external crises and threats to New Zealand.
  

 

The Corporate Services Unit has 15 staff and:

• manages and administers the department’s human resource capability
• co-ordinates the production of accountability and other reporting requirements under the Public Finance Act 1989 and the State Sector Act 1988
• supplies financial and accounting services, and provides information-systems management and support
• negotiates terms and conditions for paid government-agency advertising and publicity.
  

 

The Domestic and External Security Group has 7 staff and:

• deals with national security threats that affect New Zealand and its interests, both onshore and offshore
• co-ordinates the activities of central government agencies in preparing for and responding to security crises, emergencies and natural disasters
• advises the Prime Minister on intelligence and security matters.
  

 

Government House has 30 staff and:

• provides administrative and support services for the Governor-General to enable her to carry out the functions of the office
• maintains Government House and its grounds in Wellington, as well as the smaller Government House in Auckland.