Political Context and Priorities (Developing)

70% on-the-job learning

• Read party manifestos, and relevant government and cross-party coalition and confidence and supply agreements.
• Review written statements of the Government’s objectives and the minister’s priorities.
• Attend staff meetings to get a regular download from senior managers on the minister’s priorities.
• Read the Public Service Commission’s A guide on integrity and conduct.
• Watch the Prime Minister’s post-Cabinet press conference and look at what might be relevant from the political television programmes.
• Regularly read the minister’s media releases and speeches posted on the Beehive website.
• Attend Parliament or watch Parliament TV when an issue or question of the day relevant to your team’s work is being discussed, to see how the matter is addressed.
• Consider how political decisions impact on your agency’s stakeholders.
• Identify the other agencies and ministers who might have an interest in your agency’s policy work.
• Know the tools of government research (for example, Brookers for legal matters and Hansard for transcripts of Parliamentary debates) and how to use them appropriately in your work.
• Read the Te Ara – Encyclopedia of New Zealand extract on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi – ngā mātāpono o te tiriti, a range of Waitangi Tribunal reports, and consider how the Crown’s obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi relate to your work. 
• Read the Treaty of Waitangi analysis material in the Policy Project’s Policy Methods Toolbox, which includes the Cabinet Office circular Te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi Guidance developed by Te Arawhiti – The Office for Māori Crown Relations, on how to apply the terms and concepts of the Treaty of Waitangi to policy development and implementation.  

20% learning from others

• Discuss with your manager where your team’s work fits within the minister’s priorities.
• Learn from other colleagues who have experience in interacting with ministers and Parliamentary processes.
• Discuss with senior colleagues the historical context of any reforms to your agency or sector and whether there are any documents that would be helpful to read.
• Learn about the respective roles and responsibilities of staff in the minister’s office (e.g. private secretaries, political advisors, media advisors) through discussions with more senior colleagues.
• If possible, accompany your manager or senior colleagues to meetings with the minister.
• If possible, accompany your manager or other senior colleagues to a select committee meeting and discuss afterwards the difference between policy and political issues.
• If possible, accompany your manager or senior colleagues to a meeting with Māori or iwi groups and discuss afterwards how the Public Service could better incorporate Te Ao Māori perspectives into policy processes.
• Interview your more senior colleagues about who the key stakeholders in your agency’s sector are, their interests, and how they are likely to influence your policy work.
• Discuss with senior colleagues who the key decision makers are in your agency.
• Accompany your manager or other senior colleagues to your agency’s executive leadership meetings.
• Identify the implications of the Treaty of Waitangi principles for a policy option you are involved in, and get feedback from a colleague.

10% formal learning

• Take a course on the Treaty of Waitangi and cultural perspectives in policy making.