3.7 Policy advice
The Department contributes to government priorities and the intermediate outcomes through effective policy advice. Its policy group is focused on strategic policy with a three-year or longer timeframe, and contributing to the Treaty of Waitangi settlements process being led by the Office of Treaty Settlements, and the foreshore and seabed settlements process led by the Ministry of Justice.
Advice is provided to Ministers on major policy initiatives, Treaty of Waitangi and foreshore and seabed negotiations, and on proposals for amending legislation and regulations.
Priorities in the medium term include:
- completing the review of the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement
- contributing to whole of government policy processes including those related to freshwater, climate change, sustainability, bio prospecting, and biosecurity
- contributing to agreements to settle Treaty of Waitangi and foreshore and seabed negotiations.