Policy and planning and servicing

Statement of Forecast Service Performance for the Year ending 30 June 2006

Some of the Department's activities contribute to both of its outcomes and underpin all its work - providing effective policy advice and servicing to Ministers and a range of statutory bodies. This work is covered by the Output Class: Policy Advice, Servicing the Minister and Statutory Bodies, and Statutory Planning.

The outputs include:

• providing policy advice, including advice to Ministers on major policy initiatives, proposals for amending legislation and regulations, including biosecurity and technical advice, and advice to the Office of Treaty Settlements on conservation related aspects of Treaty settlement negotiations
• servicing Ministerial requirements, including writing submissions to Ministers, drafting replies to Ministerial correspondence, writing responses to Ministerial requests for information
• preparing management plans and conservation management strategies, including consultation
• servicing statutory bodies, work which includes policy advice, administrative services and appointments advice for the New Zealand Conservation Authority, conservation boards, the Nature Heritage Fund and the Nga Whenua Rahui Komiti.

When providing policy advice in a 'whole of government' context, the differing philosophical bases of legislation administered by other departments sometimes makes it difficult to attain the desired conservation outcomes sought by the Department of Conservation.

The Crown's policy parameters for Treaty settlements are well documented, but with each settlement there is a push for new precedents to be set, which could potentially impact on the Department and its activities.

There is wide public interest in conservation management strategies and plans and the consultation phases often result in specific interest groups and the private sector seeking outcomes, often presented in the news media, which assert private rights over those of the public in general.

Sometimes the advice from statutory bodies serviced by the Department may not accord with the priorities or accountabilities of the Minister or Director-General. This may result in board members feeling marginalised.

With any change in Minister, new servicing standards for managing ministerial correspondence can result.

Capability

The Department, unlike most government agencies, retains both an operational and a policy role. Capability is required at all levels of the Department to provide the information and advice that Ministers and statutory bodies require to make decisions and to respond to requests for information.

A large part of the Department's capability is determined by its asset management systems.

These systems ensure the Department assets are well managed. As part of this, an Asset Management Strategy has been developed to bring together all of the existing asset management systems within one framework with clearly defined standards and approaches. All existing systems, including those for historic, visitors and infrastructural assets, will sit within this new framework. It is expected that the new asset management system will be in place in 2006.

Quality Standards

The Department's work is guided by more than 300 policies, standards, best practice documents and standard operating procedures. These quality standards are applied to all aspects of its operations.

The Department runs an operating review system that involves managers at all levels in monthly reviews where exception reporting is used to identify operational issues, such as compliance with standard operating procedures.

Reports and Measures

Policy Advice

• Policy advice will be provided in accordance with the work programme and to the quality standards agreed with Ministers.

Ministerial Services

• The number of draft replies to ministerial correspondence is estimated to be in the range of 1,400 to 1,500.
  • The number returned for redrafting will not exceed 10%.
  • 75% will be completed within the timeframes for reply.
• It is expected that the Department will send 350-400 submissions to the Minister.
• It is expected that the Department will receive 60-70 ministerial Official Information Act requests.
• It is expected that the Department will receive 300-350 requests for information with 100% meeting the ministerial deadline.
• It is expected that the Department will receive 300-350 Parliamentary Questions with 100% meeting the ministerial deadline.
• (Note: the figures provided are based on volumes in previous years and current trends)
• Satisfaction of the Minister with the services provided will be assessed by annual survey.

Statutory Bodies

• Satisfaction of the New Zealand Conservation Authority with the services provided by the Department will be assessed at year end.

Output class: policy advice and services

	REVENUE CROWN $000	REVENUE OTHER $000	TOTAL REVENUE $000	EXPENSES $000	SURPLUS/ (DEFICIT) $000
2005/06 Forecast	8,095	141	8,236	8,234	2
2004/05 Estimated Actual	4,833	124	4,957	5,007	(50)

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