Statement of Intent 2012 - 2016

Statements of Responsibility#

Ministerial Statement of Responsibility#

I am satisfied that the information on future operating intentions provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in this Statement of Intent and the Information Supporting the Estimates is in accordance with sections 38, 40, 41 of the Public Finance Act 1989 and is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the Government.

Rt Hon John Key

Prime Minister

Chief Executive Statement of Responsibility#

In signing this statement, I acknowledge that I am responsible for the information contained in the Statement of Intent for the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. This information has been prepared in accordance with the Public Finance Act 1989. It is also consistent with the proposed appropriations set out in the Appropriations Bill, as presented to the House of Representatives in accordance with section 13 of the Public Finance Act 1989, and with existing appropriations and financial authorities.

Maarten Wevers

Chief Executive

Introduction from the Chief Executive#

A principal requirement of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet is to maintain organisational resilience and effectiveness so that it can best carry out its varied functions in support of the democratically elected and constitutional leadership of the nation. In the current circumstances of fiscal restraint, which are likely to last for some years, it is even more important that the department is focused on what matters to the Prime Minister and his colleagues, and that high-quality services are provided in a timely, responsive, cost-effective and coordinated manner.

Without appropriate, effectively targeted and high-quality support, the Prime Minister would not be well placed to undertake his critical national leadership role. The responsibility to provide that support sits - unambiguously - with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

One of DPMC's major tasks over the past two years has been leadership of the Better Public Services initiative. The report of the Advisory Group was presented to the incoming Government in December 2011, and Cabinet has adopted the main recommendations as its platform for an ongoing programme of public and state sector reform during this term of office. Along with the State Services Commission and the Treasury, the department will be heavily engaged in leading and coordinating the implementation of the work programme that ministers have signed off. The focus will be on delivering better results for New Zealanders, achieving improved value for money and enhanced use of technology, and realising better leadership of the public sector as a system. The Better Public Services programme will affect a number of areas of DPMC's work, and it will inform all our operations as we too seek to lift our performance.

Over the coming four years, alongside its Better Public Services work, the department will step up its oversight and leadership of the New Zealand Intelligence Community (NZIC). Maintaining national security, in accordance with the law, is an essential leadership responsibility of government. Efforts to improve the lawful collection, collation and assessment of classified and open-source intelligence, material, including for its possible use by law enforcement agencies and the New Zealand Defence Force, remain a priority for DPMC and the NZIC. All agencies are committed to a more collaborative approach that delivers improved results from our combined resources. DPMC has also been tasked with leading the National Cyber Policy Office (NCPO), which was established by ministers earlier this year. Dealing effectively with the growing cyber security risk is going to be a top priority for security agencies over coming years, as it will be for a range of other public sector and private sector entities.

In New Zealand, national security risks are identified through the national security system processes that are led and coordinated by DPMC. For each risk that is established, a responsible agency is identified, and mitigation strategies are required to be drawn up, assessed and tested. This is an ongoing process, which has to adapt as circumstances change. The emergence of serious cyber security risks has led to new policy and technical responses across government. DPMC is coordinating this work. In a similar vein, national emergency preparedness and planning will again form a core part of the work of the DPMC's Security and Risk Group over the coming year.

The work of the Policy Advisory Group and Cabinet Office will continue to be critical to delivering effective support to executive government. Steps are underway to establish an electronic platform to support Cabinet business. Once this is initiated in 2013, we expect efficiencies and some savings - as well as improvements in the standard of service to ministers and agencies.

With the completion of the conservation project at Government House Wellington, in 2012, the Official Secretary and his staff will be focused on ensuring that high standards of support and service continue to be provided to Their Excellencies the Governor-General, Sir Jerry Mateparae and Lady Janine Mateparae. Priority will also be given by the department to completing the proposed visitors' centre at Government House, which is being established to commemorate The Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The previous year has taught us that unforeseen circumstances, risks, and issues emerge during the course of a planning year - despite what is contained in our Statement of Intent. Some of those issues may require a response from the Government, or from a particular agency, and could involve DPMC in some way. The Canterbury earthquakes provide perhaps the best example of the need to prepare for a range of risks and eventualities that one would not expect to occur, but might. DPMC will continue to give priority to ensuring its staff and systems are resilient and prepared to deal effectively, and in a timely and authoritative manner, with unforeseen developments that require a response from central government.

Maarten Wevers, CNZM

Chief Executive