Resource material › Corporate Publications › Statement of Intent 2011-14Tauāki Whakamaunga AtuIntroduction
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- Foreword: Minister of Internal Affairs
- Overview from the Chief Executive
- Statements of responsibility
Foreword: Minister of Internal Affairs
This Statement of Intent introduces a new chapter in the life of the Department of Internal Affairs. With the integration of the Department of Internal Affairs, Archives New Zealand and the National Library, three of my Ministerial portfolios are included in this document for the first time.
The Department is responding to the challenges of the Government’s priorities to build the foundations for a stronger economy and better results from the public services New Zealanders rely on. These challenges are affecting all aspects of the public service, and I am pleased with the progress the Department has made in its response to meeting the Government’s priorities.
Last year I supported the Department becoming the preferred home for selected government functions that require high quality service delivery to people. The first major step has been the integration with the National Library and Archives New Zealand, and the addition of the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.
The principle behind the integration is simple. It will allow expertise and resources to be combined while at the same time sharing back office costs, leading to better services for the public and better value for the taxpayer.
The integration has preserved the strengths of each agency, while recognising the natural synergies they share. In particular, the new department will have an important leadership role to play in information management and
the use of information and communications technology. This has the potential to make a major contribution to better public services and improved performance of the public sector.
The integration has proceeded smoothly, and I am very pleased with the professionalism and hard work of all the staff involved. There is a real determination to maximise the opportunities for the future.
The National Library, the Alexander Turnbull Library and Archives New Zealand are iconic institutions with an exciting future. The statutory roles and independence of the National Librarian and Chief Archivist have also been preserved, and I look forward to continuing to work with them both.
I am confident the new Department is a strong organisation that will continue to make an important contribution to the Government’s priorities.
Hon Nathan Guy
Responsible Minister for the Department of Internal Affairs
April 2011
Overview from the Chief Executive
The Department of Internal Affairs has been through substantial changes in the past year. These changes were foreshadowed in our last Statement of Intent, and the concerted efforts of many people have made these changes manifest. However, they are only the start of a process to transform the Department to give effect to the Government’s priorities.
This Statement of Intent is the result of focused effort by staff from the National Library, Archives New Zealand and the Department over the past year. The integration on 1 February 2011 was a success because of the combined efforts of the three agencies as part of a deliberate process to create a Department for the future. With the inclusion of the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, the Department is positioned to be a transformational force in the public sector.
The public sector is going through a period of profound change. The Government’s priorities require all State agencies to deliver better, smarter services to the public to enable access to services and information when and how it suits them. These influences are irresistible and the Department has chosen to position itself to be at the forefront of continuous change in the public service.
The Department has a mandate to be involved in further change and transformation of government information and communications technology, a role we welcome. We have a unique set of skills and talents in the Department that put us in a strong position to lead the public service to embrace and exhibit innovation and excellence. We will work with others to achieve this, but we have the ability and confidence to be leaders, and Ministers expect the Department to play that role. We are ready to lead and accept the responsibilities of any additional mandates we are given.
Ministers have entrusted us with creating an organisation that is stronger and more influential than the previous agencies and functions were able to be individually. The Department has collectively identified a number of opportunities in line with the Government’s objectives. Some opportunities are internal to the Department, some relate to services to the public, and others relate to the ability to help transform the wider public service.
A particular emphasis for the Department will be to realise the efficiency benefits that arise from the integration, and the increased ability to improve the productivity of the Department. The internal changes introduced during the integration included a new governance structure and a number of new business tools to improve efficiency. These changes will enable us to focus on continuous improvement and achieving productivity gains.
We have also developed a new performance framework reflecting the new Department. This framework has been fundamental in focusing efforts on the activities and shared outcomes and outputs across the Department. This work started long before the first day of the new Department, and the shared understandings of what the Department does, which developed during that period, have made a significant contribution to the success of how well the Department has come together.
This Statement of Intent was being completed shortly after the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February 2011. The Department was heavily involved in the response to and recovery from this tragic event through the responsibilities of the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management and supporting our Christchurch staff and their families. We will also accord priority to supporting the independent Royal Commission on the Canterbury Earthquake that the Government has now announced. We anticipate that our role in the recovery could also expand considerably, as the extent of the earthquake’s impact is determined, and our priorities may change from those in this Statement of Intent.
The previous Statement of Intent described what we thought the future would hold, particularly the fundamental change we were to effect. The reality shows the Department is in a very strong position to take a lead role and be an active participant in the transformation of the public service.
Brendan Boyle
Chief Executive
April 2011
Statements of responsibility
I am satisfied that the information on future operating intentions provided by my Department in this Statement of Intent and the Information Supporting the Estimates is in accordance with sections 38, 40 and 41 of the Public Finance Act 1989 and is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the Government.
Hon Nathan Guy
Responsible Minister for the Department of Internal Affairs
April 2011
In signing this statement, I acknowledge that I am responsible for the information contained in the Statement of Intent for the Department of Internal Affairs. 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 (2011/12 Estimates) 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.
Brendan Boyle
Chief Executive
April 2011
Shirley Smith
Chief Financial Officer
Counter-signed
April 2011