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Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the Government’s expectations for good law-making to ensure responsible regulation. 2 Responsible regulation can help governments to achieve their desired economic, environmental and social outcomes, support the…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 As announced by the Prime Minister on 21 January 2026, the 2026 general election is to be held on, 7 November 2026, . The "pre-election period" is generally regarded as being the three months before a general election. The pre-election…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the requirements for bids for bills seeking placement on the 2026 Legislation Programme. 2 When submitting bids, Ministers and agencies are asked to consider core legislative priorities to be delivered before the…
CO (25) 2: Cabinet Fees Framework for members appointed to bodies in which the Crown has an interest
Publication or ResourceIssue date:Cabinet Fees Framework for members appointed to bodies in which the Crown has an interest, 1 Cabinet has agreed to a revised Fees Framework for determining or reassessing the fees paid to members of statutory and other bodies in which the Crown has an…- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 In November 2024, Cabinet Circular CO (24) 6 asked Ministers and agencies to submit bids for bills seeking places on the 2025 Legislation Programme. At that time, it was noted that the Leader of the House, in consultation with the Prime…
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Key points, 1 This circular sets out the requirements for Ministers and agencies developing government regulatory proposals. Government agencies and Ministers should not see regulation as the first resort for problem solving. Where regulation is proposed…
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Purpose, 1 This circular sets out Government expectations for how the targeting, commissioning, and design of public services should be based on the needs of all New Zealanders. 2 This circular gives effect to the commitment in the coalition agreements…
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Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the requirements for developing and maintaining Performance Plans. 2 Achieving a sustainable fiscal outlook while delivering efficient, effective, and responsive public services requires planning and oversight of…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular provides guidance for Ministers [1] and agencies on the consultation and operating arrangements agreed to by the Coalition Government, comprising the National Party, the ACT Party, and the New Zealand First Party. 2 Ministers…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:CO (24) 1: Cabinet Committees: Terms of Reference and Membership, This circular provides an updated membership list for Cabinet Committees following the ministerial change on 7 April 2026. 1 The Prime Minister has agreed to the updated terms of reference…
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Purpose, 1 This circular sets out the principles that guide Ministers’ access to the records of the previous administration. It also provides guidance for officials handling requests for official information received before 27 November 2023, when the new…
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Introduction, 1 The Leader of the National Party has announced his intention to form a coalition government with the ACT Party and the New Zealand First Party that is able to command the confidence of the House of Representatives. 2 This circular sets out…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 Following the general election on 14 October 2023, negotiations to form a government are expected to commence shortly. 2 In accordance with the convention on caretaker government, the Prime Minister has indicated that the incumbent…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular supersedes Cabinet Office circular CO (19) 6, and gives effect to Cabinet’s intention to: 1.1 make the best investment choices for current and future generations; 1.2 ensure there is active stewardship of government resources…
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Introduction, 1 In January this year the Cabinet Office issued guidance on government decision making in the pre-election period 1 . That guidance noted that the government has the right to govern as usual until the election. As in previous election years…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Key points, 1 This circular provides guidance on the management of parliamentary business after Parliament has been dissolved. The key points are as follows: 1.1 all parliamentary business will lapse on, Friday 8 September 2023, , when Parliament is…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Purpose, 1 This circular sets out the requirement for public service agencies to identify and justify the use of paid external resources (such as consultants or contractors) engaged in the development of policy advice to Cabinet., Context, 2 In line with…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular sets out guidance agreed to by Cabinet for Ministers and officials dealing with inside information relating to listed issuers (including mixed ownership model companies and other companies in which the Crown has an ownership…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Purpose, 1 This circular sets out the requirements and procedures for the proactive release of Cabinet material (Cabinet and Cabinet committee papers and minutes). It updates and replaces previous advice, introducing the new requirement for departments to…
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Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the process for developing the Statutes Amendment Bill in 2023., Process for the Bill, This circular sets out the seven key steps involved in the preparation of Statutes Amendment Bills, which range from the…
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Introduction, 1 This circular sets out advice on the death of Her Majesty The Queen, the New Zealand response, and the effect of The Queen’s death on New Zealand’s constitutional situation, including implications for Cabinet processes and other matters…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 The Legislation Guidelines (2021 edition) are the government's key point of reference for assessing whether draft legislation conforms to accepted legal and constitutional principles. 2 The Legislation Guidelines set out guidance on…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Key points, 1 This circular sets out the requirements for central government agencies to estimate and disclose the greenhouse gas emission implications when certain types of policy proposals are presented to Cabinet. It has been updated to reflect recent…
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Cabinet Office circulars which have been superseded or cancelled over the last 20 years are listed here. They are available from the Cabinet Office on request - please quote the reference number and title. Older circulars are also available from the…
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Introduction, 1 This circular sets out guidelines agreed by Cabinet for policy-makers to consider the Treaty of Waitangi in policy development and implementation., Background, 2 The Treaty of Waitangi (the Treaty) is one of the major sources of New…
CO (19) 2: Attorney-General's Protocol for Release of Draft Government Legislation outside the Crown
Publication or ResourceIssue date:1 In June 2014, Cabinet approved the Attorney-General’s Protocol for Release of Draft Government Legislation outside the Crown. 2 In September 2018, Cabinet agreed to amend the Protocol to enable: 2.1 the release of draft legislation to external advisers…- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular sets out guidelines and requirements agreed by Cabinet for Ministers and departments involved in contemporary Treaty of Waitangi issues, including: 1.1 processes for appointing lead Ministers and agencies for contemporary…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the requirements agreed to by Cabinet for agencies to implement the New Zealand Business Number (the NZBN). This circular updates and replaces CO (16) 3. 2 An agency must give effect to, or have regard to, some or…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date:Introduction, 1 This circular sets out the guidelines and requirements for Ministers and departments seeking approval of proposals with financial implications, changes to appropriations, and the authority to incur expenses. 2 This circular updates and…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date: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…
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Introduction, 1 Cabinet has agreed to legislate (with additional admininistrative enhancements) to require the government to disclose key features of all legislation (with limited exemptions), substantive Supplementary Order Papers (SOP) (where a change…
- Publication or ResourceIssue date: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…