Director-General's overview
For the last three years the Department has been engaged in developing and implementing its long-term strategic direction, building on what has been achieved and learned since it was established 21 years ago. The strategy involves working in a broader context across central, regional and local government, and in collaboration with iwi, the private sector and the community; and it involves working in a more enabling way.
Management to protect our native plants and animals will improve the health of our natural ecosystems. It is those ecosystems that provide the physical services (water, soil, air, carbon storage) that fuel our economy. The state of those natural places is critical to our tourism industry; to our national identity and New Zealand's brand as a clean, green country; and to the physical, mental, spiritual and cultural health of our people. Our challenge is to win wider recognition that conservation is more than a worthwhile cost; it is a necessary investment if New Zealand is to continue to prosper. This has involved developing and implementing the strategic direction into all our work. It is reflected in ongoing changes to the statement of intent (SOI), flowing through into our business planning and everyday work programmes.
In February 2008, I initiated the strategy and budget alignment review to ensure that our resources and expenditure are aligned with the strategic direction. This built on the cost of outputs programme completed in 2007. At the same time, the Department faced forecasted deficits from 2008-2009 onwards, due to salary increases, inflationary pressures and unavoidable cost increases from factors such as fires, ACC levies and aspects of Treaty of Waitangi settlements. The review report, released in June 2008, identified changes required to improve our strategy and budget alignment and to respond to the forecast deficits, and
implementation was initiated in July 2008.
Most significant among the changes brought about by the review are cultural shifts within the organisation. These flow from four principles that underlie both the review and the future of the Department:
- Engage more openly and effectively with others.
- Set priorities more clearly.
- Demonstrate effectiveness.
- Emphasise judgement and performance.
These principles underpin how the Department will demonstrate value for the taxpayers' investment in our core work of managing New Zealand's natural, cultural and historic heritage, and providing opportunities for people to enjoy it. They are also the principles that extend our work beyond public conservation land. Consistent with these principles, the Department is increasingly working with the wider government sector in policy work focused on creating a sustainable future for New Zealand. Particular issues are freshwater, renewable energy and carbon storage.
Through the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process we are moving into new models of working with tangata whenua for conservation gains. Our approach is for settlements where the resulting relationships on the ground are workable and durable. Challenges include the costs of implementation, and reorientation of the Department in some aspects to recognise the changed nature of the relationships and the ways of working.
I am pleased to present the annual report for the Department of Conservation for the year ended 30 June 2008.
Alastair Morrison
Director-General
30 September 2008
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