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This wallchart provides an easy guide to the transmission, handling, storage, and disposal of different classifications of Cabinet material. See the CabGuide for more information on the secure handling of Cabinet material .

The Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) provides for information to be protected to the extent consistent with the public interest and the preservation of personal privacy. “Cabinet material” includes Cabinet and Cabinet committee agendas, papers, and…

Laws usually come into effect only after their publication (with the exceptions being matters of national security or matters of particular commercial or legal significance where time is an overriding factor). The Parliamentary Counsel Office's (PCO’s)…

The Governor-General has delegated responsibility for the custody of the Seal of New Zealand to the Clerk of the Executive Council . Documents that require the Seal of New Zealand to be affixed to them include: warrants for the appointment of Ministers of…

Involving the Treasury and the Minister of Finance, The Treasury should be consulted on all proposals which have, or are likely to have, economic implications, financial or fiscal (expenditure or revenue) implications, implications for the Public Finance…

Key points, “Cabinet material” includes Cabinet and Cabinet committee agendas, papers, minutes, and memos. You are responsible for ensuring that the Cabinet material you have access to is handled securely. CabNet is set up to allow “need to know”…

EC meetings are held on most, Mondays at 4pm in the Executive Council meeting room, on level 10 of the Beehive, and are presided over by the Governor-General or, in the Governor-General’s absence overseas, by the Administrator of the Government. From time…

Ministers are expected to consult their relevant Ministerial colleagues before submitting Cabinet committee papers that deal with significant or potentially controversial matters, or that affect other Ministers’ portfolio interests. Where there is a…

Policy development often involves engagement with citizens and/or interest groups to gather views on issues and options. Any non-government consultation process should be discussed with the Minister’s office before proposals are developed for Cabinet.…

The deadline for lodging Cabinet and Cabinet committee papers is, 10am on the Thursday before the meeting, . When a public holiday falls on a Friday (Good Friday, Matariki, and sometimes Waitangi Day, Anzac Day) the deadline for lodging Cabinet and…

Information that should be provided to Cabinet or Cabinet committees, Where a there is a proposal to become party to a treaty, or to take formal treaty action, the following information needs to be provided to Cabinet or Cabinet committees: the exact…

Some items go directly to EC without first being approved by Cabinet. These items are usually drafted in a department, rather than by PCO, and: will not be included in the Legislative Instruments series (but are published in the Gazette in the normal way…

Access to papers and minutes within CabNet will persist for Ministers that have access at the time that the paper was lodged and considered for as long as they continue to be a Minister. Access to CabNet will cease when a Minister leaves office. Chapter 8…

Introduction, 1 On 15 February 2016 Cabinet approved new Cabinet Directions for the Conduct of Crown Legal Business. 2 The new Directions are annexed to this Circular. Their primary purpose is to identify core Crown legal matters, to set out how those…

Key points, The government has adjusted some aspects of the processes for selecting Law Commission projects, how the Parliamentary Counsel Office should work with the Law Commission and responding to Law Commission reports on government references. This…

Introduction and key points, 1 The Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) provides for the Minister for the Environment (and, in some instances, the Minister of Conservation) to intervene in matters of national significance under the RMA. Cabinet has agreed…

Summary, 1 The government wishes to see a more diverse range of individuals appointed to government bodies. Cabinet has directed those involved in appointment processes to explore alternative means of finding candidates if existing methods do not produce…

Key Points, This circular provides advice on the appointment of public servants to statutory boards. The circular notes that: Cabinet has agreed that, as a general rule, Ministers should not appoint public servants to statutory boards. There may, however…

Summary of key points, 1 Cabinet has agreed that it will make explicit decisions on whether draft Bills should include a provision stating that the Act will bind the Crown. This decision will be made at the policy development stage. The practical effect…

Key Points, Cabinet has agreed to standardise procedures for including non-official representatives on official New Zealand delegations to international meetings. Decisions about including non-official representatives in official delegations should be…

Summary of Key Points, Cabinet has agreed to adopt a policy framework for regulating occupations. A copy of the framework is attached to this circular. All departments and agencies should follow the principles contained in the framework when dealing with…