New Zealand faces a number of complex hazards and national security threats that we define as National Risks. These National Risks could have serious immediate and/or long-term effects on New Zealand’s safety, prosperity and/or national security, requiring national-level intervention and coordination.
The National Risk and Resilience Framework is used across government to strengthen New Zealand’s resilience to National Risks.
The Framework outlines the strategic actions taken at the national level to proactively build resilience to National Risks. Through these actions, we are better able to anticipate, prepare for and manage National Risks, preventing them where we can, and reducing their potential likelihood, consequences and cost where we cannot.
The Framework is used to drive action across agencies and provide assurance that National Risks are being actively managed.
- natural hazards
- biological hazards
- technological hazards
- malicious threats
- economic crisis.
Click here to read more about New Zealand's National Risks.
Roles and governance for national risk and resilience
The Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC) is the strategic steward and leader of the National Resilience System, responsible for:
- Driving and implementing the National Risk and Resilience Framework across government.
- Prioritising and providing assurance to Ministers and key decision-makers.
- Coordinating all-of-government responses to an emerging risk or actual crisis using New Zealand’s strategic crisis management arrangements, known as the Officials’ Committee for Domestic and External Security Coordination (ODESC) system.
Governance is provided through:
- The National Resilience Board (coordinated, whole-of-system governance, with a strategic focus on building long-term resilience)
- The National Security Board (national security threats)
- The Economic Chief Executives Group (economic security)
- The Natural Hazard Risk Reduction Forum (natural hazard risk reduction, including non-climate related natural hazards)
- The National Emergency Management Board (emergency management system readiness)
Strategic coordination agencies
Strategic coordination agencies are assigned by DPMC in consultation with relevant agencies, and are responsible for:
- Leading and coordinating a whole-of-government strategic approach to a particular National Risk and/or National Security Strategy core issue.
- Working with DPMC and other agencies to deliver relevant activities and meet expectations outlined under the National Risk and Resilience Framework, including providing regular reporting to DPMC on the status and effectiveness of relevant national risk management efforts.
Lead agencies
Lead agencies are central government organisations responsible for preparing for, and managing the response to, an emergency or crisis event at the national level, including planning and exercising. This includes but is not limited to:
Before a crisis:
- Working with DPMC and other agencies to deliver relevant activities and meet expectations outlined in the National Risk and Resilience Framework and National Resilience System Handbook
- Ensuring appropriate response plans and frameworks are in place and exercised ahead of time, in accordance with any guidance or requirements issued by DPMC
- Understanding what strategic risks may arise as a result of, and in response to, a hazard or threat event, and ensuring structures and coordination mechanisms are in place before crises occur
- Partnering with assigned Strategic coordination agencies (where applicable) to share information, ensure alignment and that roles and responsibilities are understood.
- In crisis response:
- Monitoring and assessing the crisis situation
- Managing and coordinating the central government response
- Reporting to ODESC and providing policy advice to decision-makers
Coordinating the dissemination of public information.
Key focus areas
The National Risk and Resilience Framework three key focus areas are:
Identify and prioritise
National Risk Register
- Identify and assess National Risks – the most serious hazards and threats facing New Zealand.
- Identify key causes and major consequences, and potential risk management gaps and priority actions, across National Risks.
- Identify agencies responsible for advising on risk mitigations and plans.
- Track risk status and priorities for focus and action.
Prepare
National planning
- Ensuring there are effective plans in place for National Risks that mean we are ready to respond quickly and effectively in a crisis.
- Agree roles and responsibilities ahead of time so we know exactly who does what when a crisis hits.
- Lessons from past experiences are implemented in our future plans.
National Exercise Programme
- Keep agencies and Ministers crisis-ready through regular simulated activations of the ODESC system that test our capabilities and builds experience.
Public communication and preparedness
- Build national resilience and empower New Zealanders by keeping them informed and prepared.
Deliver
Priorities for building resilience
- Take decisive, impactful action to prevent, or reduce the potential likelihood and impact of, crises.
Strategic crisis response
- Ensure key decision-makers can set direction in times of crisis based on good quality information and advice.
Monitoring & reporting
- Keep Ministers and other key decision-makers informed on the status and effectiveness of national risk management.