Introduction

During 2007/08 we have continued to refine the outcome framework initially presented in the 2005 Statement of Intent (SOI). We have also undertaken significant work to enhance our measurement processes.

Typically, our outcomes do not have immediately quantifiable measures of impact. The outcomes are realised incrementally over a period of years from a cumulative series of interventions by the Department and by other agencies. It is no easy task to isolate the impacts and effectiveness of the Department's outputs, especially within the time period of an SOI. The operating intention sections that follow report on existing measures and how these are to improved for the future.

We use a range of tools to measure and evaluate our progress and refine our choice of interventions across all the outcome areas.

• We undertake a wide range of customer surveys across the range of our activities, from civil defence and emergency management (CDEM), to identity services and community advisory services.
• We monitor quality, quantity and timeliness measures as set out in the Estimates for each Vote.
• We analyse data and undertake research and evaluation activity to assess progress with specific interventions and our contribution towards the outcomes for the Department.
• Our Executive Leadership Team monitors progress on a monthly basis and the Department reports quarterly to Ministers on progress against the expectations set out in the SOI.

Our monitoring process includes seeking feedback from our Ministers as part of a feedback/feedforward exercise led by the Chief Executive. In 2006/07, all our Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the quality of policy advice.

In 2004, changes to the Public Finance Act 1989 introduced a requirement to report on the cost-effectiveness of interventions the Department delivers or administers. It is challenging to develop useful measures of cost-effectiveness - particularly where the impact we are seeking is broad in nature and consequently not easily quantifiable. However, we have a number of processes to test the effectiveness and efficiency of current and proposed interventions.

• As part of the Department's normal planning and budgeting, a prioritisation process is used to test the cost-effectiveness of proposed expenditure and alignment to outcomes and ministerial priorities.
• Project business cases and budget bids are also required to include information on estimated cost-effectiveness.
• In addition, we have created a framework to help staff assess cost-effectiveness when setting priorities. This framework will form an integral part of our project management methodology.

In this SOI we have provided some measures to show how the Department is assessing cost-effectiveness in the work we do. Our aim is to develop, where feasible, more specific measures of cost-effectiveness for inclusion in our next SOI.

As part of improving our focus on managing for outcomes for the future we have work underway to develop a more integrated strategic planning process for 2009/10 and beyond that will encourage improved resource planning over the medium term. This is designed to support the focus on value for money in the Development Goals for the State Services.

Strong, Sustainable Communities/Hapū/Iwi

Introduction

Strong, sustainable communities, hapu and iwi are an important building block for positive social, economic, cultural and environmental wellbeing. Achieving strong, sustainable communities involves recognising the value of social capital and the importance of community cohesion to help promote a sense of community identity, belonging, and self-worth or mana.

A strong community can identify and develop ideas on how to improve its own wellbeing, and has the capacity to work towards a goal. A sustainable community is also better able to maintain positive change across all four wellbeing areas. Communities, community organisations, and the local government sector all have a direct role in contributing to a sustainable future for New Zealand. To support a sustainable future, the Department is exploring the implications of social, economic and environmental changes on communities.

We acknowledge and work with a broad range of structures in developing effective services to meet the needs of all communities. This includes addressing the diverse realities of Māori, who live and operate within strong traditional (including hapū and iwi) and contemporary arrangements and structures.

Four intermediate outcomes reflect the areas where the Department can make the best contribution in relation to strong, sustainable communities, hapū and iwi. They are that:

• people engage with and participate in their communities
• communities are empowered and able to help themselves
• communities are supported by fair and responsive local government and other local groups and organisations
• communities recognise and enjoy the economic, social and cultural benefits of diversity.

These are all important elements for developing strong, sustainable communities. The diagram below shows how these elements are interrelated. The work we do contributes to all four intermediate outcomes, and the things we do to promote one often have positive effects on the others.

People engage with and participate in their communities

What are we seeking to achieve?

Active participation is an important component of strong, sustainable communities. People who participate and engage in their community are more likely to have a sense of belonging to that community. This engagement has the potential to contribute to the growth of our economy and overall sense of wellbeing.

The key areas in which we are seeking to make a difference are:

• People feel they belong to a community - A significant aspect of "community" is the nature of the relationships between people and the social networks they belong to. International evidence shows that when people have a sense of belonging and are active in their local communities, they can benefit in many ways including improved employment opportunities, educational outcomes, housing, and lower crime rates.
• People participate in community governance and decision-making - Being involved with groups or sharing ideas and views with organisations is an important way people can contribute to their communities. Local government is based on democratic principles and, to be effective, councils need input and participation from across the community in elections and as part of their strategic planning activities.
• People participate in their communities - Participating in a community, including volunteering, is an important way for individuals to work toward the things that are important to their wellbeing. As communities change, so do the ways that people might choose to engage.

Improved engagement and participation in communities support all the Government themes, in particular the national identity sub-themes of building a cohesive society and reinforcing community.

One way in which people choose to participate in their communities is by volunteering. Much of the work that is the "glue" for communities is unpaid and voluntary and may include fire fighting, civil defence, and search and rescue, as well as a range of assistance for local groups and organisations. Over 97,000 diverse non-profit groups and associations were formally identified in October 2005. Almost half of these organisations are active in the areas of the arts, culture, sport and recreation. In 2004, the non-profit sector contributed 4.9% to the Gross Domestic Product and a similar amount to the tourism industry (4.8%). With an ageing population, reliance on unpaid work is growing and the contribution made by people working for community organisations is an essential part of communities. This contribution is recognised and valued by the Government.

The Department supports voluntary activity in a range of ways, from grant funding of agencies and funding volunteer centres, to providing advice to help groups that need volunteers. This is a cost-effective way for the Government to invest in communities. Supporting volunteering and providing funding for capacity-building and access to resources allow communities to benefit from the time and skills these people are able to contribute. We want to ensure communities can continue to benefit from such active participation.

A growing number of communities across New Zealand contain a large number of new migrants, and refugees and these people need to be aware of the opportunities to participate in and contribute to their local communities and councils. Citizenship is a shared bond that accommodates differences in religion, ethnicity and cultural backgrounds. A greater recognition and valuing of New Zealand citizenship is likely to provide wider benefits in terms of enhanced social cohesion and community wellbeing.

Language Line and the Office of Ethnic Affairs' Ethnic Women's Network are examples of potential models for making information available to ethnic communities. Language Line, our telephone interpreting service, makes many government activities significantly more accessible for a range of ethnic communities, and has had a steady uptake since its launch in 2003.

Voter turnout at local elections is an approximate way of gauging the level of people's participation in their communities. Overall voter turnout in New Zealand was at 43% in 2007, which is still favourable compared with local government (sub-national) elections in similar countries elsewhere[2]. However the trend toward a general decrease in turnout over time observed overseas is also evident in this country. The Government is concerned about this trend. While acknowledging there are many reasons that influence an individual's decision whether to vote or not, we are looking at ways in which this trend may be changed, including:

• providing advice to the Justice and Electoral Select Committee's inquiry into local elections
• continuing to support local government elections (for example, by working with election service providers to develop assurance systems for processing and counting votes).

We are also working with other government agencies, Local Government New Zealand, and individual councils to identify opportunities for increasing understanding of local government and participation in local government processes generally.

The Department is committed to providing coordinated, networked, and accessible State services, in line with the Government's Development Goals. Specific activities we undertake to enhance public awareness of the benefits of engagement in communities include participation in joint working groups about civic education and elections, joint work programmes with other government agencies about volunteering, and the provision of Language Line and a range of information through our websites.

What will we do to achieve this?

Providing people with access to information

We will continue to provide a range of information (including through Language Line, websites, printed media and forums) and advice to communities and community groups about how they can participate in their communities.

Looking out three years we will:

• expand the use of Language Line and commission an independent review of the scope and effectiveness of the service in 2010/11, to ensure it continues to provide many speakers of other languages with access to government services
• promote Language Line to more agencies, including justice sector agencies and local authorities, and investigate options for extending the service to the private sector
• improve public understanding of, and participation in, local government through the local councils website (www.localcouncils.govt.nz) and other information activities.

Encouraging people to participate in their communities

The Department will continue to promote and support volunteering through our community advisory services and by administering grant schemes, including the Support for Volunteers Fund. This includes encouraging ongoing community involvement in essential civil defence and fire service activities, both of which rely heavily on volunteers. Looking out three years we will:

• support work with the Office of the Community and Voluntary Sector (located in the Ministry of Social Development), in looking at the promotion of volunteering and issues related to capacity development in the community and voluntary sector. We will lead the development of a volunteering strategy focused on how the Department can support the recruitment and retention of volunteers.
• research and advise on growing and sustaining participation to create strong and sustainable communities, by identifying the barriers to volunteering and broader participation within communities.
• promote participation in the Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) local distribution committee elections. There are 37 local distribution committees, served entirely by volunteers and the Department will be encouraging people to take the opportunity to participate in their communities by standing in the COGS elections to be held in 2011.

Encouraging people to participate in community governance and decision-making

We will continue to provide information and support for local elections, and promote a wider understanding of local government as a way to enhance participation.

Looking out three years we will:

• collate and analyse the results of the 2007 local government elections and candidate surveys so as to gain an improved understanding of how people are participating in their community
• promote awareness of opportunities for involvement in local government constitutional processes (such as representation reviews, and Māori wards and constituencies)
• work with the Electoral Enrolment Centre and the Electoral Commission on ways to encourage members of ethnic communities to participate more actively. International studies show that ethnic minority participation in elections is usually lower than that of their host community counterparts.

Raising awareness of the value of being a New Zealand citizen

We plan to deliver a programme of activities throughout the country to celebrate the 60th year of New Zealand citizenship in 2009. The programme is designed to raise public awareness of the meaning and importance of New Zealand citizenship, particularly among citizens by birth. It will be an opportunity for people to gain a better understanding of the benefits of New Zealand citizenship.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

There are a number of areas where the Department is able to see its influence in encouraging and supporting active and engaged communities. We can gain a high-level understanding of how people are participating from analysing:

• the Quality of Life Survey (civil and political rights indicators)
• turnout at local government elections (the results of which will be published on our websites)
• general trends about the level and type of unpaid work community members do.

We also analyse surveys and various reports on perspectives and attitudes in New Zealand to migrants and refugees, to provide us with further insights into how our interventions are contributing to connections occurring across communities. While the trends identified from this type of information are influenced by many factors and agencies, it enables us to monitor progress and refine our interventions over time.

We will measure our success in terms of the impact of our key interventions.

Encouraging participation in community governance and decision-making

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Opportunities for community and Māori participation in local government.	As part of the wider evaluation of local government legislation being undertaken by the Department through to 2013, we will evaluate the representation review process and opportunities for community and Māori participation in local government.

Providing access to information

We provide an interpreting service for non-English-speaking clients of participating agencies. The service is free to clients of participating agencies. Uptake by the general public and participating agencies has increased steadily since it began in April 2003, with more than 100,000 calls having been made to the service to date. Over 45 agencies currently use Language Line, including the Department of Labour, Inland Revenue Department, Housing New Zealand Corporation, and the Accident Compensation Corporation.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Growth in use of Language Line.	Increase in number of calls made to Language Line. Increase in number of agencies participating in Language Line.
Language Line is cost-efficient.	Decline in Language Line marginal (per call) costs. [Further cost efficiencies will be dependant on technological and labour costs remaining static or reducing]

Cost-effectiveness

Language Line contributes to cost-effective government service delivery. It achieves this by reducing duplication of services through the provision of a whole-of-government interpreting service that delivers excellent and professional service.

Communities are empowered and able to help themselves

What are we seeking to achieve?

Empowerment is a vital component of a strong, sustainable community. Empowered communities are able to identify and access resources that best meet their own needs, to make the most of economic opportunities and have a strong sense of identity. They are able to identify a vision and plan for their own economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing. They are also able to access the resources they need to create positive changes, and to look for collaborative solutions to identified problems.

The key areas where we are seeking to make a difference are:

• Communities have strong vision and leadership - Community visioning and leadership is about having the courage, creativity and capacity to inspire participation, development and sustainability within strong communities. A vision provides focus and a goal for the community.
• Community groups are working effectively together where there are common goals - Working together is an effective way to make use of limited resources, to understand common goals, and build capacity. Networking and collaboration between communities and organisations is an effective way for them to achieve their identified goals.
• Communities have access to resources - Communities need a range of resources to help them achieve their vision. While grants are an important contributor to community wellbeing, the effective provision of resources includes access to appropriate information, advice and assistance with capacity-building and development within the community itself.

The Government recognises the importance of communities to its three themes of economic transformation, families - young and old, and national identity. Grant funding is an effective way to leverage resources and provide an enhanced return on the significant government investment into communities. We administer a range of schemes that invest funds into communities. These include Crown-funded schemes ($15.1 million), Trusts ($1.3 million) and the Lottery Grants Board (over $147 million), although amounts may vary from year to year.

The Department plays an important role in this by working to provide effective administration and support for grant funding bodies, committees and trust boards that distribute resources into communities so they can work towards their own goals.

The Department's role is to provide the Government with strategic and policy advice relating to the place of gambling in New Zealand society and to regulate gambling with the goal of ensuring that the overall benefits outweigh the costs. One of our objectives is to ensure that communities are engaged, empowered and informed in relation to gambling. This supports an informed contribution to the way the sector operates nationally and locally. The proceeds from non-commercial gambling provide significant funding for a wide variety of community purposes spanning local groups, organisations and activities, which, if well directed, can undoubtedly enhance empowerment, participation and the quality of life across all types of communities. Our regulatory objectives involve ensuring the integrity of gambling (including seeking to increase the return to the community from non-casino gambling operations), and preventing and minimising harm and crime associated with gambling.

The Department also provides a range of information and advice to communities through the Community Advisory Service, regional Ethnic Advisory Service, and regional funding forums. These services help communities to develop their own visions and the capacity to collaborate and to access appropriate resources. As part of this community development approach we are commonly involved in joint work programmes with other agencies.

Through the provision of this range of services, the Department is investing in projects that improve community wellbeing. It does this by building capacity and resilience within communities and improving the wellbeing of communities and reducing gambling-related harm (including involving communities in dealing with gambling issues).

Our work also supports other Government strategies. The two years' funding distributed through the Community Partnership Fund supports an aim of the Digital Strategy to connect people to the things that matter to them. This collaborative approach has enabled communities to get what they need while at the same time promoting the provision of networked State services. We are also committed to improved access to information-sharing through a range of interactive websites and newsletters, and providing the electronic application and administration processes for Grants Online.

What will we do to achieve this?

Providing access to information and advice

Providing information and advisory services to communities enables them to build strong leadership and vision, form effective partnerships and be more aware of the resources available to them. We remain committed to providing the types of services to communities that maintain and improve information platforms such as CommunityNet Aotearoa and the provision of our Community Advisory Service. This Service, offered by staff in 16 locations around the country, builds on the local knowledge and networks of our experienced advisors and assists communities to develop their own capabilities.

Looking out three years we will:

• examine aspects of the Community Advisory Service (specifically, professional development of staff, information capture, and reporting on contribution to outcomes) to ensure that communities are served by skilled community advisors able to enhance community capability
• continue to enhance our knowledge and advice on community development by ensuring that it appropriately includes whānau, hapū and iwi perspectives
• build leadership and intercultural awareness within ethnic communities so as to contribute to their cohesion and resilience, by creating and developing bridges across communities
• identify issues and analyse trends likely to impact on communities in 5, 10, and 20 years to better understand their future needs and how the government might respond to these changes.

Providing communities with access to resources

The Department is able to provide effective administration and implementation of grant funds. The schemes we administer deliver different levels of funding into a range of communities. Examples include the Community Partnership Fund, Lottery Grants funding, the Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS), and a number of Crown-funded schemes and trusts. We also seek to ensure that the proceeds of gambling are applied appropriately for the benefit of the community, while looking to reduce gambling-related harm and criminal activity.

Looking out three years we will:

• support the Lottery Grants Board to develop and implement an outcome focus for its grant funding through the Lottery Grants Board Outcomes Framework Project
• support the introduction of two new Lottery Grants Board funds. These are the: Community Research Fund, which will assist community groups to better understand the needs of their communities; and the Significant Projects Fund, which will provide funding for large-scale capital works building projects, of regional or national significance
• continue to improve our administration of Crown-funded schemes, through implementing better funding practices and reviewing the alignment of the outcomes for selected Crown-funded grant schemes
• examine opportunities to leverage off Community Partnership Fund initiatives so that communities continue their uptake of digital technologies to support their economic, environmental and social goals
• monitor the outcomes achieved by the Gambling Act 2003 and look more broadly at the role and place of gambling activities in society. This will help ensure that gambling operates in a way that is acceptable in our communities. We will also provide advice to Government to ensure that policy settings under the Gambling Act maximise the benefit to communities, while minimising the negative impacts of gambling activity.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

We will measure our success in terms of the impact of our key interventions.

Providing access to information and advice

The Department enables community groups and voluntary organisations to access advice and information through our websites, our community and ethnic advisors, and the work of other staff. This information must be useful and relevant to the groups concerned, and continue to be accessed by them.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Effective information and advice is provided to community groups and voluntary organisations.	Customer satisfaction with the Department's Community Advisory Service is not less than 90%. Satisfaction from users of the CommunityNet.Aotearoa website (measures to be developed). An annual 10% increase in the number of visits to the CommunityNet.Aotearoa website.
CommunityNet.Aotearoa is cost effective.	The Department will provide communities with access to information in a cost-effective manner, as evidenced by the real cost per number of downloads/hits/page views on CommunityNet.Aotearoa.

Providing access to resources

Grant funding is an important way for the Government to invest in communities, and improve their ability to identify and work toward their own priorities. We are continually working to improve our administration and monitoring processes so that the Department can assist communities to better access a wide range of grant funding.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Effective provision of access to grant funding.	Customer and committee member satisfaction with the grant administration provided by the Department is not less than 90%. Evaluation of the now fully committed Significant Community-Based Project Fund will demonstrate achievement of the Fund's objectives. This fund was established in 2005 to distribute $32 million to regional or national major community-based projects that could not otherwise get sufficient funding from existing sources to complete their capital works. We will review the application processes for funding community organisations through COGS and Lottery grants to promote best practice.
Grants administration processes are cost effective.	We will measure grant administration real cost per Lottery Grant approved to ensure the administration process used by the Department is providing communities with access to resources in a cost-effective manner.

Communities are supported by fair and responsive local government and other local groups and organisations

What are we seeking to achieve?

Communities are supported by local government and a range of other groups and organisations. The key areas where we are seeking to make a difference are:

• Communities supported by effective local government that is responsive to their needs -
  Local government supports local communities by providing them with essential infrastructure facilities and services, and a range of community facilities and activities. Councils also carry out a range of regulatory functions. Effective local government provides communities with a greater say about their resources, and the decisions that affect their local wellbeing now, and in the future.
• Community organisations working with communities - Communities also benefit from cooperation and partnership with a range of community groups and organisations, which play an important role in supporting community wellbeing. These organisations need to have the appropriate skills and capacity to be able to work effectively for their communities, and to be responsive to them.

The ability of councils and organisations to work with communities makes a positive contribution to all the Government's themes. Local government makes a major contribution to economic transformation through the provision of infrastructure to support continued economic growth and development. Councils and other organisations also contribute significantly to all the other themes by helping local communities to define and work towards their desired goals.

Local government in New Zealand is based on a legislative and regulatory framework that provides overall guidance while allowing for local solutions to local problems. The Department administers the overarching legislation and works to ensure that the system of local government is providing for the wellbeing of communities. We need to understand and be able to respond to a range of financial and non-financial issues facing local government now, and into the future.

The Department works effectively at the interface between local and central government. Through the work of our relationship managers we are able to develop local and central government relationships and opportunities for central government engagement in community outcomes. We are also able to assist local and central government to identify and address a range of issues facing local communities, many of which require a collaborative approach.

The Department is also actively involved in looking at some specific issues facing local government such as the governance of Auckland and public safety around dogs. We also undertake a range of other activities associated with local government such as the administration of the Rates Rebate Scheme.

Our work in support of Auckland governance contributes directly to the Government's goal of developing Auckland as an internationally competitive city. The development of Auckland is critical because of the region's contribution to the whole country's economic, social, cultural and environmental life. One of seven key drivers in creating a successful, world-class city is its strategic decision-taking capacity: world class cities have effective processes of strategy development and implementation, networks and relationships between key players, and the ability to sustain motivation and commitment in the long term.

The Department also supports a range of other community-related organisations. We do this through managing the process of ministerial appointments to a range of Crown entities, statutory boards and trusts as well as working with the Charities Commission. We also have a significant amount of expertise and involvement in the ongoing development of the non-governmental organisation (NGO) sector. The activities of these organisations contribute to the Government's theme of families - young and old.

As part of providing networked, accessible State services, the Department also offers a range of information on local councils and has recently updated its directory of local and central government information and contacts.

What will we do to achieve this?

Auckland governance

The Department is directly supporting the development of Auckland governance through its role in coordinating central government's input to the One Plan, a single agreed vision and plan for Auckland that aims to achieve world-class status. We are part of the Combined Chief Executives Steering Group for the One Plan. We are also a member of the Government's Urban and Economic Development Office (GUEDO), where we play a leadership role in managing and working with the network of central government and local stakeholders, to provide an informed Auckland perspective on the development of central government policy for Auckland.

Looking out three years we will:

• work with Auckland local government, and coordinate central government input into the development and implementation of the One Plan to strengthen Auckland regional governance. The One Plan is being developed by a Regional Sustainable Development Forum (comprising elected members from each of Auckland's eight councils, senior officials from this Department and other key government agencies, and Māori representatives). A draft of the first One Plan will be developed by May 2008. It will set out a single, strategic framework that identifies regional priorities and immediate actions for the next five years. The Department's coordination and leadership role will continue in 2008/09, in respect of the finalisation of the first One Plan and negotiations around its implementation. The role will continue to evolve with the scope and ambition of the One Plan process, as relationships in Auckland develop.
• provide administrative support for the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance due to report back in December 2008
• lead the policy response to address the issues raised in the report by the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, including any specific issues for Māori.

Leading local/central government interface

The Department plays a key coordinating role by bringing together local government and central government through administering the Central-Local Government Forum, Central Government Interagency Group and other national and regional groups of central and local government officials. We support central government's engagement with local government at a regional level on key urban and regional issues, and encourage information-sharing on initiatives such as sustainability.

We will also continue to work at the interface between local and central government to promote an integrated approach to community outcomes, and support local government election processes and representation to ensure these achieve fair and effective representation of communities of interest.

Looking out three years we will:

• lead the on-going whole-of-government response to the findings of the Independent Inquiry into Local Authority Rating (Rating Inquiry). This work will include considering the issues specific for Māori
• lead the Government's response to the Local Government Commission's review of the Local Government Act and Local Electoral Act.

Understanding the system of local government

The Department is responsible for legislation governing the system of local government. We are also responsible for supporting the enactment of local acts and regulatory provisions. To support this role we have been collecting data to build a knowledge base of financial and non-financial information about local government in New Zealand.

Looking out three years we will:

• work to identify and respond to issues facing local government in the future. This includes consideration of the financial sustainability and future funding of local government activities and services as a way to assist both local and central government to plan for, and respond to, future challenges
• evaluate aspects of the local government legislation, as part of a long-term programme to ensure the legislative framework is operating as intended, and achieving the results expected for local government and communities that will include issues specific for Māori which will continue to 2013
• continue to develop a comprehensive information and research base about local government and to disseminate good practice as appropriate.

Supporting local government activity

We will continue to support local government in undertaking their functions. Looking out three years we will:

• administer and promote the Rates Rebate Scheme, which provides a subsidy to low-income homeowners on the cost of their rates. The Scheme was enhanced with effect from 1 July 2006, with the maximum rebate and income thresholds increased. As a result, rates rebate claims have been substantially increasing.
• support smaller councils, such as the Chatham Islands Council, that may require assistance
• undertake work to improve public safety around dogs
• work with local government to improve settlement outcomes for migrants and refugees and encourage local government to offer the Language Line service to members of ethnic communities accessing local government services, so that non-English speakers can access more services and participate more fully in society
• ensure that Class 4 gambling is not licensed unless it is subject to local authority consent and promote use of an electronic monitoring system (EMS) to support local authorities' gambling policy development.

Implementing the Charities Act

We will continue to undertake appointments processes and monitor the implementation of the Charities Act 2005 and the establishment of the Register of Charities. This will help to ensure that the Charities Commission is able to complete the inaugural registration process for charities effectively and efficiently.

Looking out three years the Department will focus on supporting the charitable sector by reviewing the Charities Act following implementation.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

Understanding the system of local government

As administrator of local government legislation, the Department needs to be aware of the impact this has on councils, communities and stakeholders. The Department has therefore commenced an evaluation of local government legislation based on the published Strategy to Evaluate Local Government Legislation (2005). We have formulated a work programme that will enable us to outline the impacts of these major legislative changes on the sector and on communities. Work on this key project will continue, in consultation with the sector, until 2013.

Administering the Rates Rebate Scheme

The Rates Rebate Scheme administered by the Department was enhanced by increasing the threshold for rebate entitlement and the amount of subsidy available to low-income homeowners on the cost of their rates from 1 July 2006. We will assess our effectiveness in supporting this by measuring the uptake of eligible applicants over time. Before the changes were made, 4,200 households received a rates rebate. This increased to more than 111,000 households in the 2006/07 rating year, or 46% of potentially eligible households.

Communities recognise and enjoy the economic, social and cultural benefits of diversity

What are we seeking to achieve?

New Zealand is becoming an increasingly diverse nation, a trend that is only likely to continue into the future. We think of diversity in the broader sense, which includes consideration of the needs of people in a wide range of situations. Diversity in this context includes considering ethnicity, age, disability, sexuality and location as a basis for looking at the issues and priorities for people across the country.

We want to make sure New Zealand benefits, and is seen to benefit, from the increasing diversity of our population. For this to happen we need to ensure that people from different backgrounds and situations, including those from ethnic communities and new migrants, feel valued by the wider community.

New Zealand's changing ethnic makeup is an example of our increasing diversity. According to the 2006 Census of Population and Dwellings, there are now almost 200 different ethnicities in New Zealand, and approximately 12% of the population identifies with ethnic groups/populations from Asia, Africa, continental Europe, the Middle East, and central and South America. This proportion is forecast to increase to approximately 18% by 2021. Some of these ethnic communities are long-standing; others are of more recent origin.

Likewise we can see from the most recent census data that 70% of our population lives in the 16 main urban areas. There are also trends observed in the distribution of older people in rural areas, and in the significant numbers of younger people in some communities. All the various issues related to diversity will need to be recognised and understood by government agencies and the wider community.

The Department has a key role in working with ethnic and diverse communities through the Office of Ethnic Affairs and through our local government, community advisory, and funding roles.

The increasing diversity of people and communities in New Zealand presents tremendous opportunities. Countries with strong, cohesive, multicultural communities are often more productive, innovative and dynamic than other societies. These qualities attract talented and skilled people from around the world.

People across our diverse communities all have a range of skills, ideas and ways of thinking about issues that can benefit the nation as a whole. For example, increasing our understanding of ethnic communities can enrich New Zealand's way of life, and increase our appreciation of other countries and cultures. The skills, contacts and networks of ethnic people can help New Zealand to develop new markets and opportunities overseas.

Greater diversity also presents some challenges. With our ageing population, it is important that we are able to cater for the needs and priorities of older people. Similarly, in areas where populations are growing rapidly, there may be need for a different approach and recognition of the needs of young people.

It is also important to make sure people from diverse backgrounds are not confined, or feel disadvantaged or isolated from wider society. We have seen situations overseas where civil unrest and risks to security have occurred because migrant communities, or particular sections within those communities, have been, or felt, alienated from the wider society.

As a Department we contribute to a range of Government strategies that seek to ensure that people in a range of groups benefit from reducing inequalities. These strategies include Pacific peoples, positive ageing, ethnic responsiveness and the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

For New Zealand to fully reap the benefits of an increasingly diverse and multicultural society, we need to encourage everyone to contribute to the development of our country. Only by exploring our different perspectives and developing a deeper understanding of our similarities and differences can we more fully tap into the benefits of diversity. Achieving this will contribute to all of the Government themes, in particular the national identity sub-themes of building a cohesive society and reinforcing community.

What will we do to achieve this?

The Department will continue to provide a range of services and activities that support diverse communities. Through the Office of Ethnic Affairs, in particular, we will provide information and advice about and for ethnic communities and help to enhance integration by working with host communities to help them accept and include ethnic people. Through our community development and funding advisors and community policy work, we will help communities understand and benefit from the range of diversity present.

During the next three years we will continue to target our interventions in three key areas: awareness (visibility), interaction (intercultural awareness and inter/intra-community dialogue) and institutional responsiveness (policy, advisory services, Language Line).

Supporting diversity across the community

We will continue to contribute to a range of Government strategies that seek to ensure that people in a range of groups benefit from reducing inequalities. These strategies include Effectiveness for Māori, Pacific Strategy, Positive Ageing Strategy, Ethnic Responsiveness, the New Zealand Disability Strategy, and the New Zealand Action Plan for Human Rights. This helps to ensure people from diverse backgrounds feel valued and do not feel disadvantaged or isolated from wider society.

Looking out three years we will:

• facilitate resources into communities through funds designed to support particular sectors such as the Marae Heritage Fund.
• analyse the impact of diversity on communities and assess how this might influence the Departmental provision of services in the future
• continue the delivery of advice to communities about recognising and supporting diversity
• assist development through the provision of grant funding to communities
• build capacity with specific communities through strategies to assist people from a range of backgrounds to participate in society, contribute to economic development, and interact with the wider community
• continue to develop and implement an Effectiveness for Māori Strategy across the Department. This includes progressing initiatives to provide guidelines for the Civil Defence and Emergency Management (CDEM) sector to help improve marae-based emergency management and the Office of Ethnic Affairs to facilitate more effective relationships between ethnic communities and Māori. Next year the Department will review the Effectiveness for Māori Strategic Plan for the period 2009-2012
• extend Pacific awareness training for funding committees and staff.

Building capacity with ethnic communities

We will continue to provide policy advice on diversity, including that associated with ethnic communities to Ministers and other agencies, and promote the development of evidence-based policies for the ethnic sector and the use of evidence to understand the broader impact of diversity on New Zealand communities.

Looking out three years we will extend the range of capacity-building services to ethnic communities in the Bay of Plenty, the lower North Island and Nelson/Marlborough. This will assist in enabling ethnic people to participate effectively in New Zealand society and interact with host communities.

Improving State sector responsiveness to ethnic diversity

Through the Office of Ethnic Affairs we provide leadership across the State sector to improve responsiveness to ethnic diversity. This includes providing guidance to government agencies on utilising an Ethnic Perspectives in Policy framework and in developing Ethnic Responsiveness Plans. In the medium term, we will seek Cabinet approval for, and implement, a revised Ethnic Perspectives in Policy framework.

We will continue to work with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry of Social Development and other agencies on policy issues with an international dimension (for example, the Alliance of Civilisations work, and the UK/New Zealand policy dialogue). Similarly, we will work with the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Department of Labour, on ways of tapping the expertise and contacts of ethnic communities (such as the Chinese community) in relation to key strategic areas, like economic development and trade relations.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development, we will lead the Connecting Diverse Communities project. As part of this work, we will publish feedback from the Connecting Diverse Communities national public engagement process (completed in 2007), a survey of key stakeholders including local government, non-government organisations and Crown entities, and continue to develop the work programme. We will also take part in the implementation of the New Zealand Settlement Strategy and the Settlement National Action Plan being led by the Department of Labour.

We will continue to deliver intercultural awareness and communications training to government agencies, and training on diversity to grant distribution committee members, to assist in improving State sector responsiveness to ethnic diversity.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

At an outcome level, we can assess our contribution through information from surveys such as the Quality of Life Survey. For example, the 2006 Survey indicated that more than half of the residents of New Zealand's largest cities and districts feel positive about the impact of increasing lifestyle and cultural diversity on their city.

Our understanding of the effectiveness of our work to support diversity will be enhanced by:

• development of an in-depth evaluation process for Intercultural Awareness and Communication training
• impact and qualitative evaluations
• development of a mechanism to measure the effectiveness of government agencies in responding to ethnic communities.

We will measure our success in terms of the impact of our key interventions.

Building capacity within ethnic communities

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Increased capacity within ethnic communities.	Increased Office of Ethnic Affairs presence (e.g. community forums/meetings) with ethnic communities in targeted areas, in particular the lower North Island, Bay of Plenty and Nelson/Marlborough. Customer satisfaction with Ethnic Affairs' advisory services is no less than 85%.

State sector responsiveness to ethnic diversity

The Department will work to ensure that the State sector is responsive to the needs of ethnic communities.

Desired impact

Indicators of success

The State sector is responsive to the needs of ethnic communities.

An increase in the number of central government agencies using the revised Ethnic Perspectives in Policy framework as part of their policy development process. An increase in the extent to which other government agencies seek the expert advice, assistance and participation of the Office of Ethnic Affairs. An increase in the extent of Office of Ethnic Affairs participation in strategic whole-of-government and cross-agency projects. Increased uptake of Intercultural Awareness and Communication training by agencies. Increased adoption of workplace diversity plans by agencies that have undertaken our Intercultural Awareness and Communication training.

Cost-effectiveness

We can achieve greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness through holding combined forums for ethnic organisations and local and central government, dealing with a range of issues related to ethnic communities.

Safer Communities

Communities are more resilient to hazards and their risks

What are we seeking to achieve?

A fundamental responsibility of the Government is to protect the people of New Zealand. This is particularly so where people are at risk from a broad range of natural and man-made hazards. The Department has a leadership role in developing structures and processes to support individuals and communities in reducing risk, and preparing and managing the response and recovery from civil defence emergencies.

The key achievements we are seeking in this outcome area are:

• the overall risk from hazardous events has been reduced to a level acceptable to the community
• individuals and communities are resilient and self-reliant through being well informed about hazards, their consequences and how best to manage and prepare for them
• civil defence and emergency management (CDEM) stakeholders are prepared for emergencies and can respond effectively
• communities can recover quickly from emergencies, minimising negative long-term impacts.

The Department's work on CDEM and fire policy makes an important contribution to the Government's key theme of families - young and old, by ensuring the appropriate support is in place so families can be secure in their communities.

The CDEM Act 2002 moved the focus to the management of all hazards and all risks through an all-of-community effort. Considerable responsibilities were devolved with the establishment of 16 CDEM groups to manage risk and response at the regional level and the responsibility placed on the territorial authorities to manage risk at the local level. The Act also specified greater responsibility for government departments, lifeline utilities, and emergency services.

New Zealanders have been, and will continue to be, at risk from a broad range of natural and man-made hazards. The National Hazardscape Report published by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in 2007 identified 17 key hazards affecting New Zealand. These hazards pose different types and levels of risk for communities in New Zealand. The philosophy guiding the management of these hazards and risks has moved towards greater authority and responsibilities being given to individual agencies at the regional and local level, and a more comprehensive approach to CDEM.

Under the CDEM Act, the Government's National CDEM Strategy 2007 details how we will achieve the CDEM vision "Resilient New Zealand: Communities understanding and managing their hazards". The National CDEM Strategy provides overarching direction for CDEM in New Zealand and shows how the nation will progress toward creating resilient communities by implementing the following four goals:

• increasing community awareness, understanding, preparedness and participation in civil defence and emergency management
• reducing risks from hazards to New Zealand
• enhancing New Zealand's capability to manage civil defence emergencies
• enhancing New Zealand's capability to recover from civil defence emergencies.

What will we do to achieve this?

To support the goals of the National CDEM Strategy over the next three years, the Department is focusing on the following five key strategic initiatives:

Reviewing the CDEM framework

The Department is undertaking a comprehensive review of the implementation of the framework, which was established by the CDEM Act 2002. In general terms, the components of the framework are the Act, the Strategy, the National Plan and Guide to the Plan, local CDEM plans and director's guidelines. The review will draw upon information from the entire CDEM sector, including government, local government, lifeline utilities and voluntary agencies, as required, and will incorporate lessons learned from both CDEM exercises and real CDEM events. The review has been designed to assist in identifying what changes need to occur in order for us to be assured that New Zealand is well prepared for CDEM events and becoming resilient.

Enhancing CDEM stakeholders' capability

Building and maintaining CDEM stakeholders' capability will remain a key focus for the Department's CDEM effort. The Department will assist agencies in taking a comprehensive "all hazards, all risks"-based approach to their CDEM activity. National exercise programme events, such as the recent Auckland Volcanic Exercise, will be a major focus as they enable us to determine readiness for emergency events and areas for improvement. Implementation of a monitoring and evaluation programme for the CDEM sector will further help identify areas that need to be strengthened. We will also strengthen international CDEM relationships to enhance the CDEM sector and our ability to manage civil defence emergencies.

Increasing awareness and understanding of, and commitment to, civil defence and emergency management

The Department will continue the public education campaign, centred on the Get Ready, Get Thru advertising campaign and the What's The Plan, Stan? teaching resource for schools. Ongoing research into the effectiveness of these efforts and resulting changes in the level of readiness by individuals will be used to inform the second stage of the campaign, commencing in 2009/10.

Developing CDEM initiatives for hazard risk reduction

The Department will continue to assist hazard risk reduction by identifying and assessing risks of national significance, promoting and advocating hazard and risk reduction at the national, regional and local level, providing technical advice, and supporting research efforts. A major effort will be to improve arrangements for managing the risk from tsunami.

Building MCDEM capability

The final priority for the Department in ensuring safer communities from hazards and their risks will be the strengthening of the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management's (MCDEM's) capability and capacity, particularly for the management of civil defence emergencies of national significance. Improvements to MCDEM will focus on professional development for staff, business continuity planning, information management systems, and performance measurement.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

Reducing the overall risk of hazards

The long-term measure of success in communities becoming more resilient towards hazards is the reduction of the degree of risk posed by emergency events. Alongside our partners in the CDEM sector, the Department participates in the ongoing investigation and deepening of understanding of the level of risk posed by hazards to New Zealand.

Such high-level measures, however, need to be complemented with specific measures on the success achieved by the Department in achieving the intermediate outcomes.

Raising public awareness

The Department supports increased public awareness of hazards, their consequences, and how best to manage and prepare for them through its public education campaign.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Greater preparedness at home and at work.	National advertising campaigns support increasing public understanding of hazards leading to greater preparedness for disasters. The level of public awareness of television campaigns will be greater than 80%, as measured by an annual survey which forms part of the Public Education Programme.

Surveys undertaken by the Department indicate the effectiveness of the national advertising campaign. Results show increasing levels of public understanding and preparedness:

	April/May 2006	April/May 2007
Understanding of effects of disasters	77%	81%
Preparedness at home	21%	24%
Preparedness at home and work	7%	8%

CDEM sector capability

The Department supports the development of CDEM sector capability on an ongoing basis through the provision of advice, assistance and information.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
A supported CDEM Sector.	Satisfaction by CDEM Groups with the service provided by departmental regional emergency management advisors is not less than 80%. Satisfaction by attendees of departmental-delivered education or training interventions is not less than 95%.

In the longer term, the Department is developing a monitoring and evaluation programme that will provide assurance that the CDEM sector is complying with its obligations, achieving its objectives, and making progress towards the goals of the National CDEM Strategy and the purposes of the CDEM Act. The programme will adopt a three-tier approach of measuring compliance, performance and outcomes.

• "Compliance" includes the monitoring of compliance with the requirements of the legislation and strategic documents in the framework, and evaluating the quality of that compliance.
• "Performance" assesses the capacity and capability of CDEM stakeholders (including MCDEM) and the effectiveness of CDEM policies and programmes.
• "Outcomes" evaluate the progress towards high-level goals of the National CDEM Strategy and the purpose of the CDEM Act.

Over the next three years, the monitoring and evaluation programme will be developed and then rolled out. In consultation with the CDEM sector, the Department is now developing a set of performance measures to provide a yardstick for the compliance and performance of key agencies. Once the monitoring and evaluation programme is in place, the information collected will provide a measure to assess if "CDEM stakeholders are prepared for emergencies and can respond effectively". It will also provide a set of indicators on the development of resilience across the CDEM sector, which will indicate the impact of the Department's contributions. The Department will report to Cabinet in 2010/11 on the implementation of the monitoring and evaluation framework.

Building MCDEM capability

In addition to the data collected through the monitoring and evaluation programme, external audits provide a measure of the Department's capability to respond to a national scale emergency. Previous investigations of national CDEM capability in the "Review of the February 2004 Flood Event" (the Reid Report) and the State Services Commission Review of CDEM operations during the February 2004 floods identified areas for improvement, which have been systematically addressed. A review of the capability of the Department by the State Services Commission is scheduled for 2008/09. We will use the review to help identify areas for further development.

Cost-effectiveness

Comparison of the cost of interventions with the degree of risk reduced before emergency events provides a high-level means to determine cost-effectiveness. Such an approach enables the comparison of the cost-effectiveness of diverse contributions. An example of the value of this approach is the recent allocation of greater resources by the Department towards strengthening New Zealand's readiness for the risk of tsunami. That reflected a realisation that the level of tsunami threat to New Zealand was at least comparable with other significant hazards but had not received the level of attention to match those hazards. Furthermore, research pointed towards the potential to reduce a significant degree of risk through adequate planning, warning, alerts systems and public education.

Feedback from surveys indicates a high level of public awareness of the television campaigns, suggesting that these are an effective method of public education. The annual surveys also provide a means to assess the degree to which this awareness has translated into the desired result "greater preparedness at home and at work". The findings of these surveys will assist in the reshaping of the programme and thereby heighten cost-effectiveness.

As the monitoring and evaluation programme is developed, assessment of the cost-effectiveness of the Department's contributions will be assisted by better information on the level of readiness across the CDEM sector, the effectiveness of CDEM policies, and the progress towards the attainment of the high-level goals of the National CDEM Strategy and the purpose of the CDEM Act.

Safer Communities

Gambling is safe, fair, legal and honest

What are we seeking to achieve?

Ensuring that gambling is safe, fair, legal and honest, through effective regulation and enforcement, contributes directly to a safer community and the Government's theme of families - young and old.

Gambling is a major economic activity in New Zealand. After a decade of rapid growth, New Zealanders' total expenditure on major forms of gambling has remained relatively steady at around $2 billion per annum since 2004.

Gambling can be a harmless entertainment activity from which people derive personal enjoyment and which provides other positive social effects. However, gambling also has adverse effects on many individuals, their families and their communities. The community has an interest in ensuring that the benefits of gambling outweigh its negative social and economic impacts.

The proceeds from non-commercial gambling provide significant funding for a wide variety of community purposes. If well directed, these funds can enhance empowerment, participation and the quality of life across all types of communities. "Commercial" gambling can also be seen to provide general economic benefits such as employment.

The potential for gambling-related crime, and the sophisticated nature of some gambling products, means that consumers and the wider community are subject to significant risk unless there is effective regulation and enforcement.

Gambling operators should be responsible. This means being aware of the social impact of gambling and taking steps to enhance the safety of their operations. The Department has a role in advising and educating operators to achieve voluntary compliance and high standards of practice.

There is increasing emphasis on local communities, as well as gambling operators, becoming involved and engaged in gambling issues. The theme of resourcing and engaging communities in this area also has strong links to the Department's outcome Strong, sustainable communities/hapū/iwi. This in turn links to all the Government's priority areas. There are many forms of involvement for local communities including:

• the provision of problem gambling treatment and support services
• public consultation on territorial local authority policies that control the establishment or growth of gambling venues
• funding providers engaging with communities on how gambling funds should be distributed for community purposes
• involving community stakeholders in initiatives to prevent gambling-related crime.

The Department advises the Government on gambling policy and administers the Gambling Act 2003 and the Racing Act 2003. We also audit, investigate and enforce compliance of gambling activities with the Gambling Act.

As the Gambling Act has been in place for several years, the Department has shifted its focus from implementing the legislation to thinking more broadly about the role of gambling in New Zealand society. The Department will continue to take a lead role in shaping the future of gambling to ensure that it operates in a way that is acceptable to all in our communities.

The outcome framework has been revised since our last Statement of Intent to reflect our leadership across government on the role of gambling in the community. There are now better linkages to another major outcome area for the Department, Strong, sustainable communities/hapū/iwi.

The five intermediate outcomes we are seeking to achieve in this outcome area are:

• The benefits of gambling outweigh the costs.
• Communities are engaged, empowered and informed in relation to gambling.
• Gambling is operated with integrity.
• Gambling-related harm is prevented and minimised.
• Gambling-related crime is prevented and minimised.

What will we do to achieve this?

Increasing our understanding of the role of gambling in New Zealand society

We will continue to develop the outcomes framework for gambling, with a specific focus on:

• maintaining and/or specifying objectives, information and processes required to measure progress and actions require to achieve outcomes
• ensuring that we are well positioned to advise government on big picture and detailed issues relating to the operation and role of gambling in New Zealand.

We will maintain a strategic overview of how the policy settings and legislation are operating.

Supporting legislative change

We will continue to support the progress of the Gambling Amendment Bill (No 2), which makes a number of changes aimed at optimising the effectiveness of the Gambling Act, and implement changes to policies and processes arising from the passage of the Bill.

The impact of the Gambling Act will be monitored on an ongoing basis and any further amendments will be included in subsequent legislative change.

Working with others

We will continue to:

• build networks within local communities, taking a collaborative approach to addressing gambling-related issues at a local level. This will involve establishing cooperative relationships between gambling operators, community groups, problem gambling service providers, local government, and other government agencies.
• educate and inform the gambling sector in order to increase voluntary compliance, integrity and good practice in gambling operations
• work in partnership with the Ministry of Health to monitor and address public health issues related to gambling, and with other government agencies, nationally and internationally, to detect and investigate crime associated with gambling and address other legislative and social issues such as community funding and gambling-related debt.

Reducing crime and criminality

Until recently our activity related to crime consisted almost exclusively of detection and investigation of alleged crimes. While investigation continues to be an important output for us, it has little or no impact on the root causes of crime associated with gambling.

In 2007 we adopted a broader strategic focus aimed at the prevention or reduction of crime and criminality associated with gambling venues. This crime prevention strategy includes not only crime directly related to gambling, but ancillary crimes such as drug dealing which are facilitated at gambling venues, and other potentially criminal or undesirable activities such as "fringe" money lending to gamblers. The work demands a collaborative, intelligence-led approach involving gambling operators, the New Zealand Police, and a variety of government and community organisations. While casinos were the original focus of this work, over the next two years it will expand to address crime and criminality occurring in other gambling venues.

Information and monitoring strategy

We already have a variety of information sources that provide important data to help us measure outcomes - for example:

• Participation in and Attitudes to Gambling Survey - This five-yearly survey provides a wealth of information on the general public's perception of gambling and gambling policy.
• Licensing and audits of gambling activities provide information on compliance with the Gambling Act, helping us to assess the impact and effectiveness of the legislation.
• Electronic monitoring of gaming machines provides information on the growth or decline of gambling and the technical and financial integrity of gambling operations. By providing information on the amount of money flowing through machines, it can also assist in assessing the social impact of gambling in specific locations.

A priority for the next three years is investing in measuring progress at the outcomes level. The redevelopment of our outcomes framework has identified a number of important information gaps without which achievement of outcomes cannot be comprehensively measured. We will initiate a variety of activities aimed at gathering baseline information at a national and local (e.g. territorial authority) level and/or developing frameworks which can be used to classify and analyse information and make sure it is valuable to government, the community and the gambling sector. They include:

• enhancing our audit models to gather not only information on compliance with the minimum requirements of the Act, but also qualitative information on good practice and operator responsibility. This will enable us to identify and encourage practice that exceeds the minimum requirements of the Act. This might include, for example, gaming machine operators exceeding the statutory minimum return to the community, or casino and gambling venue operators providing host responsibility programmes that exceed the legislative requirements.
• exploring (with other agencies such as the Ministry of Justice) the feasibility of developing a framework for describing and measuring gambling-related crime and criminality
• analysis of information available to the public about gambling, both from the Department and from other sources, to assess whether information is readily accessible, accurate, complete and up to date
• assessing the use and sustainability of gaming machine funding. We gather information on the use of gambling profits for community purposes, and are currently engaged in a project aimed at enhancing that process. It is also important for policy development purposes to gather information on whether (and how) this funding contributes to the strength of communities in the long term.
• the proposed implementation of a more integrated gambling IT platform (IGP), to complement the newly implemented electronic monitoring network, with the objective of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of licensing activities, reducing costs for the gambling sector, and supporting enhanced information- gathering, analysis and reporting. Decisions on the proposal are expected in 2008/09.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

We will continue to monitor expenditure on major forms of gambling as an indicator of growth. The Electronic Monitoring System will be used to assess the level of control over the growth of non-casino gaming machines.

We will continue to monitor gaming machine operator returns to the community.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Controlled growth in number of non-casino gaming machines.	Overall gaming machine numbers will fall, or any increase in numbers will be controlled.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Returns to the community from non-casino gambling operations meet legislative requirements.	Machine operators' gross proceeds are distributed, as required under the Gambling Act 2003.

We will measure our success in terms of the impact of our key interventions.

Working with others

We support improved community engagement in and understanding of gambling issues; and empowered cooperative community action on gambling-related issues. We do this by establishing cooperative relationships between gambling operators, community groups, problem gambling service providers, local government and other government agencies.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Improved community engagement in, and understanding of, gambling issues.	From 2008/09 our stakeholder survey will be revised to benchmark the level of community involvement in gambling-related issues. Ongoing surveys will continue to assess the level of community involvement.

An educated and informed public

We educate and inform the public, so that people will have full and accurate knowledge about gambling in New Zealand in order to be able to influence decisions on the growth of gambling in their communities.

Desired impact

Indicators of success

Educated and informed public.

Information available to the public about gambling, both from the Department and from other sources (e.g. problem gambling service providers, gambling operators and the media), will be readily accessible, accurate, complete and up to date. We will undertake periodic analysis of public information and measure the Department's website statistics to determine the level of demand for/use of information produced by the Department.

Voluntary compliance underpinned by effective enforcement

We support increased voluntary compliance and evidence of good practice in the gambling sector by educating and informing operators on how to comply.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Increased voluntary compliance. Good practice in the gambling sector.	Our audits of gambling activities will measure: the overall level of compliance with the Gambling Act the extent of operator practice in excess of the legislative minimum.
Effective enforcement of gambling regulations.	Prosecutions taken by the Department will be successful, with no more than 5% of prosecution cases dismissed where a prima facie case is not established.

Reducing crime and criminality

We contribute to the reduction of crime and criminality in gambling venues through a cooperative, intelligence-led and targeted approach.

Desired impact

Indicators of success

Reduced crime and criminality in gambling venues.

Our audits of gambling activities assess the extent and effectiveness of procedures adopted by gambling operators to identify and eliminate criminal behaviour. We will gather information on the extent and seriousness of gambling-related crime as part of our investigations and intelligence activities. We will work towards ensuring that other enforcement agencies can provide statistics on gambling-related crime.

Cost-effectiveness

The main compliance costs of the Gambling Act regime are borne not by the general public but by the providers and users of potentially harmful activity, to offset and reduce the costs of harm to society as a whole (e.g. the impact on the criminal justice and health systems).

The majority of our services under this outcome are funded from licence fees. The Department maintains memorandum accounts to ensure transparency in fee-setting and provide for stability in fee levels over the medium term. Fees reviews are undertaken periodically (most recently in 2007/08) and ensure external scrutiny of any proposed changes.

We will use the results of the five-yearly Participation in and Attitudes to Gambling Survey to refine our choice of interventions. This survey provides information on the general public's perception of gambling and gambling policy.

We will invest in enhanced capability to achieve long-term gains in effectiveness, for example integrating casino and non-casino compliance work to take advantage of commonalities and shared expertise.

Our strong emphasis on encouraging voluntary compliance, underpinned by effective enforcement, will achieve the desired outcomes in a cost-effective manner.

Safer Communities

Harm from restricted and objectionable material has been minimised

What are we seeking to achieve?

Four intermediate outcomes reflect the principal areas of focus for the Department in relation to our censorship outcome, Safer Communities - Harm from restricted and objectionable material has been prevented and minimised.

• Vulnerable persons are protected from restricted and objectionable material. Legislative and regulatory agencies take action, and support community organisations, to inform and protect people who may be vulnerable to restricted and objectionable publications.
• Communities are informed and aware of censorship law and the risks of restricted and objectionable material. The public understands what is meant by restricted and objectionable material, and why it is important for vulnerable persons to be protected.
• The publications industry behaves responsibly and with integrity. The industry understands and complies with the legislative requirements.
• Opportunities for crime are limited. Persons who produce, trade or possess objectionable material are identified and prosecuted, and businesses that are potential channels for the trade of objectionable material are aware of this potential and voluntarily act to prevent it.

The Safer Communities outcome contributes to the Government's theme of families - young and old. Ensuring that harm from restricted and objectionable material has been minimised, through effective regulation and enforcement, contributes directly to a safer community.

Censorship regulation has to balance the need to preserve freedom of speech and expression against minimising harm to the community from restricted and objectionable material.

The Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 (the Act) defines an objectionable publication as one that "describes, depicts, expresses, or otherwise deals with matters such as sex, horror, crime, cruelty, or violence in such a manner that the availability of the publication is likely to be injurious to the public good". Objectionable material is intrinsically harmful both because of the likely effects of viewing such material, and because the material may be derived from situations in which harm is intended or actually caused to the subject, e.g. images of child sexual abuse. Restricted material is likely to be harmful to specific audiences, particularly young people.

The Department contributes to safer communities through the work we do in enforcing the Act. We carry out investigations and prosecutions involving the making, distribution and possession of objectionable material. In addition, we ensure that the legitimate publication industry complies with the Office of Film and Literature Classification's (OFLC's) classification decisions. We provide administrative support to the Film and Literature Board of Review and monitor the performance of the OFLC on behalf of the Minister of Internal Affairs. We also provide policy advice to the Minister on censorship issues and work closely with the Ministry of Justice, which administers the Act.

Our interventions focus on:

• investigating, detecting and preventing trade in objectionable material
• helping the New Zealand public understand what is meant by "objectionable material" and why it is important to protect people (especially young people) from objectionable and restricted material. This enables us to achieve a significant level of voluntary compliance, supported by targeted investigation and enforcement activity.

What will we do to achieve this?

Research and profiling

Research into Internet traders of objectionable material helps increase our knowledge and understanding of these types of offenders and their associated behaviour. Consequently, we are able to refine our intervention activities and contribute to better-informed policy advice. Recent research shows a distinct movement of New Zealand offenders away from Internet relay chat to peer-to-peer applications. As a result of this research we have developed, in-house, a software programme that is used on peer-to-peer networks to assist in the detection of offenders distributing the material.

Harnessing technology

The Department's technology strategy is intended to mitigate the effects of Internet offending. We will continue to invest in resources to ensure inspectors receive up-to-date training and have access to the latest software. We expect to take a leadership role in training and developing partner agencies in relation to forensic computer analysis. The technology strategy has included development of in-house techniques and software including:

• techniques for searching computer files
• software that assists in the detection of offenders operating on the Internet
• promoting the use of this software to enforcement agencies internationally.

We are also working with international enforcement agencies, New Zealand stakeholders and local Internet service providers (ISPs) to prevent people being exposed to material from known child abuse websites, and ensure that we are able to access ISP data when investigating alleged offences.

Increasing public awareness

As part of our role we are able to highlight the impact censorship offending has on the community. We will continue to:

• inform the public about Internet and censorship offending through proactive media releases relating to court cases and national and international investigations
• update the Department of Internal Affairs' website in relation to censorship issues, and provide leaflets and other information resources freely to the public
• work with the Ministry of Education and "Netsafe" in raising awareness of Internet safety, and supply schools with Internet safety resources.

Working with others

We continue to work with other enforcement agencies in New Zealand and internationally to target potential offenders and develop new forensic and computer technologies. We expect to take a leadership role in the training and development of our partners in relation to forensic computer analysis and the coordination of intelligence.

Software aimed at detecting offenders on peer-to-peer networks is being further developed and customised for individual enforcement agencies overseas, providing a valuable contribution to the work of the international enforcement community. We are using Interpol International France as the coordinating and distribution centre.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

We will measure our success in terms of the impact of our key interventions.

Increasing public awareness

We educate and inform the public, so that New Zealanders have full and accurate knowledge about censorship law and the risks of unrestricted and objectionable material, and how they can protect vulnerable people.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Educated and informed public.	We will measure the Department's website statistics to determine level of demand for/use of information produced by the Department.

Encouraging voluntary compliance

We seek to increase compliance with the Act, and decrease the risk of young people being exposed to restricted material. We do this by educating and informing the publications sector.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Increased voluntary compliance.	Increased level of voluntary compliance with censorship laws, as monitored by the number of breaches occurring. Our strategic goal is to maintain the number of instances of non-compliance with censorship laws to within 15% of all inspections.

Monitoring and enforcement

Each year, the Department responds to over 700 censorship complaints and/or undertakes proactive investigations of publications, videos and films and material on the Internet.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Effective monitoring and enforcement.	Prosecutions taken by the Department will be successful, with no more than 5% of prosecution cases dismissed where a prima facie case is not established.

Cost-effectiveness

The continuing improvements in the level of compliance within the publications industry suggest that our current intervention mix of education and persuasion is appropriate, and we will continue to build on this regulatory approach over the short to medium term.

Our research shows that the Internet continues to be used as the primary vehicle for censorship offending. As a result, the Department invests up to 80% of its resources in the detection of offenders online. In the short term we will focus on persons trading and downloading files from peer-to-peer applications.

The development of the new detection software for peer-to-peer networks is proving cost-effective in a number of ways:

• We have been able to use the specialist skills of our in-house inspectors in writing specific code for this product. This utilised the training they had received for the future benefit of those to follow.
• The software provides a means to target offenders more effectively. This means resources can bring offenders, especially prolific offenders, to prosecution more quickly as the offending is more readily detected.

We will also play our part in supplying intelligence on offending internationally and taking action on New Zealand offenders identified via international operations.

New Zealand's approach to identity is trusted and well led

What are we seeking to achieve?

This outcome has been amended from Trusted Records of New Zealand Identity to better reflect the Department's role as the "kaitiaki" of New Zealanders' core identity information - government's representative as an enduring, neutral and trusted custodian of identity data - and its role in ensuring New Zealand's approach to identity is trusted and well led.

Our contribution falls into three key areas reflected in the intermediate outcomes, as follows:

• good governance of identity for all New Zealanders
• reliable and accessible identity services enable transactions between individuals and government agencies
• identity management is secure and protects New Zealanders from fraud.

The Department is responsible for administering the Citizenship Act 1977, which sets out who is entitled to New Zealand Citizenship at birth and the requirements that must be met by applicants for the grant of citizenship. Our activities in this area assist the settlement of migrants and the development of social cohesion, and in this way contribute not only to this outcome but also to Strong, sustainable communities/hapū/iwi. More generally, there is also a contribution to the Safer Communities outcome, since the integrity of our people, data, systems and services, together with our work on identity management across government, helps to protect New Zealanders against identity fraud and threats to their privacy.

This outcome contributes significantly to the themes of economic transformation, families-young and old, and national identity, which are priorities for the Government.

National identity

Our births, deaths, marriages, civil union, citizenship, and passports processes and documents contribute to the personal identity of individual New Zealanders and are the foundation of our national identity. It could be argued that a sense of national identity is the effect of a strong sense of shared citizenship. National identity is also bolstered by the benefits accruing from our passports, which are world-class travel documents, and from the availability of our valuable historical records.

Families - young and old

Secure records of core identity information protect New Zealand families from identity fraud and crimes enabled by such fraud, as well as providing the necessary data to enable other government agencies to verify entitlements to payments and family benefits. We provide identity documents, data matching and verification services that facilitate enrolments in schools and age group interest groups that help bind communities and family together. Citizenship strengthens families and wider communities recently settled in New Zealand. Development of online identity record services will facilitate research into family histories by family members and genealogists.

Economic transformation

Secure and protected records of identity and identity documents provide the confidence for New Zealanders and the commercial sector to conduct business openly and freely. The Department's leadership contribution to identity management across the State sector allows government agencies to more easily transact with customers while minimising identity fraud. Birth, death, marriage, civil union and citizenship information provides important input to official statistics and to social services planning and research that will underpin national economic goals for the future. Our approach to management of identity records has helped build a very positive international reputation for the New Zealand passport, which allows New Zealanders to trade and travel overseas with a maximum of ease.

Alignment with State Sector Development Goals

The Department manages a secure data repository environment containing identity records that are legally sharable with other government agencies to help carry out core functions. This infrastructure provides an important element of a networked State service that assists in the delivery of services for New Zealanders. We are also developing an Identity Verification Service (IVS) that will enable individuals to verify their identity for many government transactions (whether for their own personal use or on behalf of an organisation). This service will avoid the costs and inconvenience of repeatedly verifying a person's identity in-person with multiple agencies and hence provide value-for-money for individuals, agencies and the Crown.

Further, the Department provides leadership in identity management across the public service, in collaboration with partner agencies, and is leading or jointly leading a number of initiatives underway to facilitate a coordinated State services response to identity issues. Accessible State services are also enhanced through committed customer services that are performance focused and constantly exposed to customer scrutiny via customer service counters in four centres in New Zealand, two overseas regional offices in Sydney and London, and a national contact centre. We monitor the accessibility of our customer services via a six-monthly customer service survey.

Finally, this outcome is wholly reliant on the New Zealand public's willingness to provide their identity information. This depends, in turn, on the integrity of our staff, data and systems, and contributes to the Development Goal of trusted State services.

What will we do to achieve this?

In terms of day-to-day services to the public, during 2008/09 we expect to:

• issue over 410,000 New Zealand passports and travel documents
• register over 104,000 births, deaths, marriages and civil unions
• issue over 200,000 birth, death, marriage and civil union certificates and printouts
• recommend over 11,000 applications for grant of citizenship to the Minister of Internal Affairs.

We will also continue to provide identity management leadership and advice, and contribute to all-of-government initiatives.

Looking out three years, we will:

• continue the Passport System Redevelopment Programme to replace ageing technology and implement a new passport system to handle the increase in application volumes that will result from the move to a five-year passport. This will maintain the reputation of the New Zealand passport as a world-class document of identity and ensure the continued facilitation of cross-border travel and overseas trade relations. In 2008/09 we will focus on implementing the newly designed passport book and personalisation technology, commence building the new passport system and complete the redesign of the organisation structure and business processes for passport issuance.
• implement an Identity Verification Service (IVS) so people can use the Internet as a more convenient way to verify their identity to government agencies online, and in real time, to a high level of confidence. This will enable New Zealanders to conduct business with government agencies more easily and in a more cost-effective and timely fashion. We are currently in the pre-implementation development phase of the project, including development of the IVS Limited Service. This includes planning for organisational structure and IT infrastructure to support full implementation of the IVS and preparation of any associated legislative requirements. The full IVS should be developed and implemented in 2010/11.
• promote, pilot and implement the Evidence of Identity (EOI) Standard across government, including provision of advisory services and guidance material. This will include a good-practice guide for initial establishment of an individual's identity by agencies and to ensure consistent and appropriate use of identity documents. It will also better protect agencies and government service customers against potential identity fraud. Currently, we are monitoring and advising other government agencies in our role as steward of the EOI and piloting the Standard with selected agencies. In 2008/09 we will review the pilots and revise the EOI Standard in light of any lessons learned from the pilots. We will also progress the EOI Standard to the next level of the e-Government Interoperability Framework (e-GIF) to become a "Recommended" standard.
• continue moderating historic death data against birth records. This project flags a relevant birth record in a way that makes it clear whether the individual named in the record is deceased or not. This will reduce the opportunity for identity fraud through the use of birth certificates relating to deceased persons. Currently, we are finalising implementation of electronic work processes for matching deaths with births. In 2008/09 we will improve the flow of information for data moderation so as to focus on higher-value investigation activity.
• develop birth, death and marriage online registration services. This will improve efficiency and access for registration of key identity information. Currently, we are implementing Birth Notices Online, with planned gradual uptake by hospitals and midwives as they upgrade their IT systems. During 2008/09 we plan to develop and launch a Marriages/Civil Unions Online application service and undertake full implementation of this with the Ministry of Justice (Courts) and local authorities.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

The adoption by government agencies of good-practice guides for government services where there are identity-related risks shows the impact of the Department's leadership of identity management across government. This is already happening; for example the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) recently became the first agency to formally pilot the Evidence of Identity (EOI) Standard to public roll-out stage. As a result, people can now apply for an IRD number at AA centres and PostShops around the country. Our goal is that eventually all government agencies relying on identity management procedures will use common nationally understood and recognised processes.

The EOI Standard is only the first of a range of cross-government identity management initiatives to be led or implemented by the Department that will establish more consistent identity standards and management processes. An example of how the success and impact of such initiatives will be demonstrated includes, looking ahead to the medium term, the successful implementation of the proposed Identity Verification Service (IVS.) This will be able to be measured by the number of people who use the Internet as a convenient way to verify their identity online when they are seeking services from a government agency.

Our ongoing activities to uphold the integrity of the New Zealand passport will be successful if passport fraud is reduced and high levels of confidence in the passport are maintained. Overseas jurisdictions acknowledge the excellent quality of our work through the visa waiver status of our passport, with New Zealanders currently enjoying visa waiver access to over 50 countries worldwide. Of particular note is the US Visa Waiver Programme. New Zealand is one of only 29 countries in the world that have this status, and membership of the programme provides New Zealand business people and tourists with the ability to travel to or through the US and remain there for three months without the need to apply for a visa.

In terms of the day-to-day services we provide to the public, we monitor a range of quantity, quality and timeliness performance standards for our citizenship, passport, birth, death, marriage and civil union activities. We combine this operational measurement with customer perceptions obtained via surveys, to monitor our overall success and identify areas for improvement. Satisfaction levels are measured through a twice-yearly customer service survey (we will also explore the efficacy of conducting surveys of government agency satisfaction). The key performance indicators from these surveys are aligned with key aspects of what we are trying to achieve in support of our outcomes, such as:

• overall satisfaction
• personal information is secure/confidential
• documents are accurate
• products are delivered on time
• understanding and completing forms
• finding information about services
• enquiry response time
• helpfulness of explanations
• communication is open/honest.

We also ask customers to rate the dependability of our services and whether they believe we are doing a good job of preventing identity fraud. Past surveys have consistently indicated that we provide an outstanding service and that people trust our work.

Cost effectiveness

Initiatives such as EOI and IVS provide for greater consistency across government services and reduce the duplication of identity management services, therefore increasing cost-effectiveness for government over time.

The majority of our services under this outcome are funded from fees charged to members of the public using our services. The Department maintains memorandum accounts to ensure transparency in fee-setting and provide for stability in fee levels over the medium term. Fees reviews are undertaken periodically and ensure external scrutiny of any proposed changes.

Executive Government is well supported

What are we seeking to achieve?

"Good government" depends on the effective functioning of Executive Government processes.

Over the medium term, our intermediate outcomes are ensuring that:

• the range of services and processes needed to be effective is available to the Executive, both inside and outside Parliament
• guest-of-Government visits help build international relations
• ceremonial events help celebrate and develop an understanding of New Zealand culture and heritage.

Providing Executive Government with the environment, support and advice to carry out its duties is an important objective for the Department. We also support the Executive by arranging official visits to New Zealand by representatives of foreign governments, and managing ceremonial and commemorative events for government.

Through these three intermediate outcomes, our work also contributes to shared outcomes with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, and the Parliamentary Service, as shown in the table below.

Our work also contributes to two key government themes. Economic transformation is supported by providing the Executive with opportunities to showcase New Zealand to visiting dignitaries. National identity is supported by ensuring events that commemorate important aspects of our history and culture reflect the values and traditions New Zealanders prize.

The Development Goals for the State Services, updated by the State Services Commission in 2007, provide guidance on how we do our work. We will continue our focus on delivering coordinated, accessible services across the parliamentary campus to strengthen the management of information and communications between and within the various agencies of government, and with constituencies and the public. Our focus includes an awareness of heightened security and business continuity concerns as well as greater emphasis on environmental sustainability and energy efficiency.

The Department will need to adapt to meet these challenges. This will require aligning ministerial office human resources and IT systems and processes with those of the other agencies represented on the parliamentary campus. In the longer term, we need to consider the introduction of systems more aligned across the wider public service.

We need to be aware of the unique position of the Executive and its expectation that we will be exemplar adopters of government policy. The Prime Minister's Statement to Parliament on 12 February 2008 emphasised the need for the public sector to lead by example on sustainability. The adoption of energy-efficiency standards for the VIP transport fleet is one example of an initiative taken in this area.

What will we do to achieve this?

We will continue to provide support services including staffing, transportation, housing and logistical support, to enable the Executive to work effectively. This will include managing any change in the Executive following the 2008 General Election.

Key initiatives in the medium term are:

• improvements in the delivery of information and communications technology services to members of the Executive by closer alignment of technology and service delivery with the Parliamentary Service and other agencies on the parliamentary campus. Important first steps will be the replacement of existing technology used by members of the Executive and their staff with the products used by other agencies on the parliamentary campus. We will also progress the joint delivery of ICT services with the Parliamentary Service.
• modernisation of the VIP transport fleet including the introduction of more environmentally friendly vehicles and continuing to implement a whole-of-life costing model. This offers the prospect of significant cost-savings over the life of the fleet, as well as significant environmental benefits due to reduced emissions while ensuring that the vehicles meet the needs of our clients. In 2007 we entered into an arrangement with BMW for the supply of low-emission vehicles that will replace our existing vehicles as they reach the end of their economic life. This will continue in the medium to longer term as vehicles are due for replacement. We will also be looking to implement fuel-efficiency measures.
• enhancing the systems and processes for handling information for ministerial offices to ensure compliance with the Public Records Act as well as offering enhanced security of information. It will also result in more robust information handling processes across the Executive.
• continuing to enhance collaboration with other agencies in the organisation of visits and ceremonial programmes, to ensure they meet Government objectives, for example utilising a protocol with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in order to strengthen the linkages between visit programmes that we design and the objectives of each visit identified by the Ministry.

How will we demonstrate success in achieving this?

In many cases, determining the effectiveness of our services is difficult because of their unique features. This means that benchmarks are not readily available. For example, while VIP transport has many of the elements of a taxi service, the privacy and safety requirements are different. These features are unique to our services. Similarly, the need for confidentiality, security and a detailed knowledge of protocols marks out the work of the visits and ceremonial office (VCO) from what might otherwise be seen as an event management service.

Therefore, our emphasis is on measuring the way in which we deliver the services. We do this in two main ways. Firstly, we seek opportunities for greater efficiencies by collaborating with other agencies on the parliamentary campus and will participate in contracts with them where we can identify advantages in doing so. Secondly, we ensure that each service is delivered in the best way, either using in-house resources or outsourcing or sometimes a combination.

There are a range of measures we will use to demonstrate our success in delivering services and processes to the Executive, both inside and outside Parliament.

Desired impact	Indicators of success
Executive Government is well supported.	Customer satisfaction with services provided by the Department, measured by existing surveys, is no less than 90%. Quality and cost expectations are met in the delivery of IT services (measures under development). We will benchmark the cost of property maintenance and upgrades, in addition to using historical information, to assess real and reasonable costs for property maintenance.

In the medium term, we will develop indicators to assess the impact of our activities in the following areas:

• Ministers have access to high-quality staff at all times.
• All members of the Executive feel assured of administrative or IT support or a reliable transport service.
• Members of the Executive are able to interact seamlessly with other elements of the parliamentary complex.
• Executive Government transition is completed within previously agreed timeframes to a high level of satisfaction.
• No member of the Executive suffers a safety or security incident due to lapses in our performance.

In our support of guest-of-Government visits and ceremonial events, we will continue to survey our clients to assess the quality of services provided. However, we will also be attempting to measure the overall impact of these activities, for example by use of a protocol with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade which will strengthen the linkages between visit programmes (that we design) and the objectives of each visit identified by the Ministry. We will then be able to evaluate the success of events in meeting their original objectives.

We are continuing to improve on our satisfaction surveys, with an independent review with VCO clients and stakeholders. This review will be useful in a number of ways.

• It will tell us what they consider makes up good service.
• We will be able to identify gaps in the current service.
• We will have better information about relevant metrics.

We will use the VCO survey as a pilot and use a similar process with other areas of our business, adapted to the particular circumstances as necessary.

In the area of the VIP transport services, we will continue to survey customers (in 2006/07, 100% rated these services as satisfactory or better) and monitor complaint levels (in 2006/07, just 0.05 complaints were received for every 1,500 chauffeur-driven vehicle hires undertaken.) We will expand our range of measures to include driver safety and VIP transport fleet sustainability (e.g. fuel consumption; level of CO2 emissions.)

Cost-effectiveness

The cost-effectiveness of the VIP transport fleet will be assessed via a whole-of-life cost model, which includes everything we will spend to run the cars while we own them. This includes what we pay for the vehicles, the fuel to run them, servicing, registration, tyres and warrants of fitness. The price we receive when the cars are sold is subtracted from the total spent to give us the whole-of-life cost.