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To achieve our overall outcome of good government, with effective public service support, DPMC provides the continuity of constitutional and administrative services that helps maintain New Zealand’s strong parliamentary democracy. One of our roles is to be the “constitutional and institutional glue” that holds the system together; another is to be the "oil" that allows the free flow of information, advice and policy for government decision making.
Along with the two other central agencies – Treasury and SSC – DPMC is responsible for providing the leadership that enables the public service as a whole to carry out the business of government efficiently, effectively and collectively. DPMC works at the point of intersection where ministers, agencies and advice streams come together at the Cabinet table – ensuring that the final decisions of the government are well informed and that they are given effective public service support in implementation.
The department’s operating intentions are expressed through our five contributing outcomes.
The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are the centre of executive government in New Zealand. By chairing Cabinet, the Prime Minister leads and coordinates government and oversees its general policy direction. Ministers work together as Cabinet and in Cabinet committees to discuss issues and take decisions. DPMC, along with the wider public service, must support the Prime Minister and ministers by ensuring they are provided with the quality of information and advice that enables sound decision making.
DPMC supports the Prime Minister and ministers by ensuring they receive timely and coordinated advice that enables them to carry out the government’s business in an effective manner. Outcome 1 is primarily the responsibility of the Policy Advisory Group (PAG), the Domestic and External Security Group (DESG), and the Cabinet Office; the External Assessments Bureau (EAB) also plays a part in working towards this outcome.
PAG advises the Prime Minister on a very broad range of policy matters; DESG provides policy advice to her on security matters in the widest sense, from natural disasters to counter-terrorism. Both groups facilitate cross-government linkages amongst agencies working on related issues, and seek to ensure that officials’ advice takes account of broader government priorities – in particular, sustainability and the three priority themes. They also help remove bottlenecks in the flow of departmental policy advice and ensure state sector support for effective Cabinet decision making. To do this, they provide comment on draft papers and provide free and frank advice to the Prime Minister across all items of government business. Further, PAG and DESG staff participate in a wide range of officials’ committees, attend Cabinet committee meetings in an advisory and support capacity, and coordinate follow-up.
Where possible both PAG and DESG look at issues from a medium or longer-term perspective, which means a focus on emerging priorities. Both groups have a role in helping departments understand ministers’ perspectives; in assisting them to develop policy that supports government priorities; and in dealing with implementation issues. For DESG, acting strategically means assessing and advising on New Zealand’s wider domestic and external security risks. DESG will continue to think ahead in areas such as security risk management, counter-terrorism, border management, intelligence coordination, and emergency management; and it will continue to lead government coordination in times of crises.
The Cabinet Office administers the Cabinet system, circulating Cabinet papers and decisions accurately and promptly. It also maintains a record of all Cabinet decisions, helps coordinate the government’s legislative programme, and supports decision making by the Prime Minister and ministers in awarding honours. The Cabinet Office also works with ministers’ offices and departments to ensure that issues are presented to Cabinet in a clear and robust way that supports good decision making. It does this through quality control and monitoring, feedback, developing and promulgating guidance, and education and training.
The recently revised Cabinet Manual (2008) will be made widely available, along with the web-based CabGuide which provides detailed and practical guidance on the preparation of material for Cabinet and related procedures.
The External Assessments Bureau (EAB) prepares assessments for the Prime Minister and other key ministers on external developments that could significantly affect New Zealand’s interests.
Following on from its 2008 stakeholder survey, the department will continue to engage with key stakeholders to ascertain their views on the contribution it makes.
At the heart of New Zealand’s democratic and political system is stable executive government accountable to an elected House of Representatives. The executive branch of government comprises the Governor-General, the Prime Minister, other ministers of the Crown and the public service. The department provides the administrative support for the ongoing business of executive government – including support necessary for the smooth transfer of power between successive administrations, Prime Ministers, ministers, and Governors-General.
As the recognised source of expert knowledge on the systems of Cabinet and executive government, the Cabinet Office is the primary contributor to Outcome 2. In carrying out its role, the Cabinet Office also works with the Crown Law Office, Parliamentary Counsel Office, Ministry of Justice, SSC, and Treasury.
The Cabinet Office provides advice to the Governor-General, the Prime Minister and ministers on the constitutional issues and procedures that support the conduct and continuity of executive government. It ensures that constitutional procedures such as the appointment of ministers are well managed and administered correctly, and it provides policy advice on constitutional issues that have implications for executive government.
The trust of ministers and other stakeholders, and a reputation for discretion, integrity and judgement, are vital to the effective operation of the Cabinet Office. It is rigorous in maintaining impartiality between administrations, agencies, and individual ministers.
The Cabinet Manual is the authoritative guide to central government decision making, with successive governments using it as the basis on which to operate. While its fundamental features remain unchanged, it is updated from time to time to reflect changes in Cabinet procedures and constitutional developments. The latest version of the Cabinet Manual was launched in April 2008.
Projects associated with support for the next general election will be a focus for the Cabinet Office in 2008.
The Cabinet Office has a role in increasing awareness and understanding of the formal roles, conventions, and workings of the system of executive government. This information is published in a number of forms including the Cabinet Manual (www.cabinetmanual.cabinetoffice.govt.nz), Cabinet Office circulars (www.dpmc.govt.nz/cabinet/circulars/index.html), the CabGuide (www.cabguide.cabinetoffice.govt.nz), and material related to the Cabinet and Cabinet committee workspace on the public sector intranet and on DPMC’s website (www.dpmc.govt.nz).
The Governor-General and the Prime Minister will continue to be offered opportunities to provide feedback on their level of satisfaction with the advice and services we provide.
The Governor-General represents The Queen as New Zealand’s Head of State and exercises important and interlinking constitutional, ceremonial, and community duties and roles. The Governor-General’s constitutional duties ensure the legitimacy and continuity of government – and in this the Governor-General is supported by the Clerk of the Executive Council, who is also responsible for liaison between the Governor-General and the government of the day. The Official Secretary and Government House staff support the Governor-General in carrying out his ceremonial and community duties, both within New Zealand and overseas.
As a key contributor to the New Zealand system of government, the office of the Governor-General requires efficient and effective support. The Clerk of the Executive Council and the Official Secretary and staff at Government House bear the primary responsibility for Outcome 3. They strive to be skilled and responsive in the support they provide to Their Excellencies.
The ceremonial role of the Governor-General is broad: it includes not only national and local events, but also the promotion of New Zealand interests overseas. Government House works closely with the Clerk of the Executive Council and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to ensure that these visits are well conceived and that they support New Zealand’s wider interests.
The Governor-General provides non-partisan leadership in the community through a programme of speeches, patronage of many charities and community groups, attendance at a wide variety of events and functions, and visits to specific interest groups throughout New Zealand. Government House staff support the development of the Governor-General’s programme and, through ongoing review and feedback, seek to ensure the programme is relevant and balanced.
A significant project is being undertaken to conserve, renovate and refurbish Government House Wellington so that this historic building is preserved for future generations. The house will be closed during the project and Vogel House in Lower Hutt will be the Wellington vice-regal residence. DPMC is working to ensure a smooth transition so that the Governor-General and Mrs Satyanand can continue to carry out their roles fully and with as little disruption as possible to their personal lives.
More information is available at www.gg.govt.nz
Their Excellencies will provide feedback on their level of satisfaction with the support provided.
The possible domestic and external risks to New Zealand’s well-being encompass threats to national security (for example from international organised crime or from illegal fishing), terrorist threats to New Zealand and to New Zealanders at home and abroad, major accidents and natural disasters, the loss of essential infrastructure, and physical and biosecurity hazards such as pests, animal diseases, or a potential avian influenza epidemic. DPMC must assess, prepare for, monitor, and coordinate a nationwide response to such risks in a timely and structured way.
The External Assessments Bureau (EAB) and the Domestic and External Security Group (DESG) have the prime responsibility for Outcome 4.
EAB extends government understanding of New Zealand’s external environment. Its assessments are intended to inform the Prime Minister, other senior ministers, senior officials, and New Zealand’s diplomatic representatives overseas about external political, economic, security, environmental, scientific, and biographic developments of significance to New Zealand. EAB’s reports are as objective as possible and do not contain policy advice or advocacy.
Through its coordination role, DESG promotes effective planning by other departments and agencies that have operational responsibilities for managing security risks. DESG also has a centre-of-government function in overseeing the preparation of overarching national security strategies, in providing support and leadership for relevant policy development, and in coordinating the work of others as they develop their capacity to deal with specific security risks. In addition, DESG has a responsibility for oversight and coordination of the New Zealand intelligence community: it provides support for the Cabinet Committee on Domestic and External Security Co-ordination and for the Officials’ Committee for Domestic and External Security Co-ordination (ODESC), an inter-departmental body chaired by the Chief Executive of DPMC.
The responsibilities of both EAB and DESG are well established and ongoing. Relationship networks with other departments and agencies will continue to be crucial for both units – and especially for DESG, because of its coordination functions. These networks include policy, operational and intelligence organisations such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Treasury, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Fisheries, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Defence, New Zealand Defence Force, New Zealand Customs Service, New Zealand Police, Department of Labour, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, and Government Communications Security Bureau.
Following on from the 2008 stakeholder survey, the department will continue to engage with departments to ascertain their views on the quality, timeliness and relevance of EAB and DESG contributions.
The common purpose of the central agencies is a shared or mutual interest in a high-performing, trusted and accessible state sector. The central agencies have a key leadership role to play in aligning the activities of the state services with the government’s priorities and in making sure that ministers receive the best possible advice before making decisions. Each central agency has its own key responsibilities; but each also requires contributions from the other two.
DPMC supports the process of collective decision making, conveys Cabinet’s decisions to the relevant ministers and officials, and ensures that the Cabinet receives well-conceived and coordinated advice. DPMC also leads officials’ responses on the government’s themes and priorities, and conveys the government’s priorities to officials.
Treasury monitors and manages the financial affairs of the government, and provides economic and fiscal policy advice. Treasury is the key agency for supporting ministers in balancing priorities through the budget process.
It provides insight into the efficiency and effectiveness of government agencies and their interventions.
State Services Commission (SSC) appoints and manages chief executives within the public service; provides leadership in improving the capability of agencies, sectors, and systems; and ensures that the wider state sector is appropriately focused on addressing the government’s priorities.
In 2006 an independent in-depth review of the central agencies was completed. While the review pointed to successes, ministers agreed that more is needed from the central agencies, both jointly and separately, if they are to lift performance in the state sector.
Over the medium term the three central agencies will:
Provide effective leadership: The central agencies will take responsibility for making New Zealand’s devolved state sector system work. To that end, we will work alongside other agencies on specific issues.
As part of this, the central agencies will work to give ministers better information and advice. We will ensure that the right guidance and monitoring is in place to enable the system to run smoothly, and that other departments and agencies have a clear understanding of ministers’ performance expectations.
Focus on the things that matter: To have the most impact on results, efforts will be better targeted. The central agencies will focus on priority issues and get action on these, while retaining responsibility for a system-wide view.
Work together more effectively: By sharing information and integrating aspects of planning, the central agencies will develop joint views on where priority issues lie. We will then identify issues where there is value in taking joint action, and issues where separate action is likely to be more productive.
The central agencies have identified the following priority areas for their work together over the next three to five years:
Policy outcomes – to better coordinate resources and support multi-agency initiatives in the government’s highest-priority policy areas.
Agency engagement – to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our engagement with senior leaders in the public service and so support them in lifting the performance of their agencies and the state sector as a whole.
Public management system improvements – to better coordinate our work of transforming the state sector, through our joint leadership of the Development Goals for the State Services and through our efforts to enhance performance information and reporting across the system.
The measurement of whether central agencies are adding value to state sector performance will be done through an annual survey of state sector agency leaders, and feedback from central agency ministers.
DPMC continuously seeks and receives feedback from the Prime Minister and the Governor-General on whether and how well its outputs are hitting the mark. This feedback allows judgements to be made on DPMC’s effectiveness and helps identify opportunities for improvement.
Other stakeholders are also in a position to assess DPMC’s effectiveness (for example in its leadership, coordination and advisory roles). Their views have been formally sought in a stakeholder survey conducted in 2008.