Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2008
Part 3: Statement of service performance (continued)
Output Class - Policy advice
Description
Under this output the Minister of Defence will purchase:
- advice on defence policy matters. This includes advice on:
- strategies for achieving goals and outcomes
- changes in the strategic environment with implications for defence policy
- the defence and security policies of other countries
- deployment of NZDF assets and personnel
- the military capabilities required to meet defence policy goals, broad resources implications and the relative merits and risks associated with proposed capability options.
- management and enhancement of bilateral and multilateral defence relations
- responses to Ministerial and Parliamentary Questions, Official Information Act enquiries and Ombudsman correspondence.
International Security Environment
Objective
To undertake analysis of significant issues that have an impact on the Government’s defence policy and international defence relations including developments in the international security environment, especially in the Asia-Pacific region, changes in the defence and security policies of key countries such as Australia and the United States, and developments in regional security relations.
Performance
The Ministry provided analysis and advice on the NZDF contribution to Timor-Leste, New Zealand’s defence engagement with the South Pacific, and New Zealand’s defence engagement with Thailand, Australia and China.
The Ministry was involved in hosting the biennial Britain-Australia-New Zealand (BRITANZ) talks and contributed to the planning for the New Zealand-Singapore co-hosted peacekeeping workshop under the auspices of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum.
The Ministry is a member of the inter-agency Pacific Security Fund administration group and is jointly leading sub-sectoral implementation of the Pacific Disciplined Forces and Pacific Maritime Surveillance strategies. Advice is also provided on policy developments within the Five Power Defence Arrangements and within the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) defence dialogue process.
Deployments
Objective
To undertake analysis and provide advice on the deployment of NZDF assets and personnel on United Nations or other operations.
Performance
The Ministry was involved in the preparation of a number of Cabinet papers and submissions. These included preparing for a peacekeeping deployment to Sudan, extending the NZDF’s deployments to Solomon Islands and Sinai, seeking approval for additional support to the PRT in Afghanistan and the provision of fuel and refuelling assistance from the Japan Maritime Self Defence Force in support of Operation Enduring Freedom maritime interdiction operations.
Mutual Assistance Programme
Objective
To undertake analysis and provide policy advice in support of the operation of the NZDF Mutual Assistance Programme (MAP).
Performance
The Ministry provided policy advice on the development of various MAP country programmes and participated in bilateral talks with Papua New Guinea, Tonga, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands.
Capability
Objective
To undertake capability reviews in co-operation with the NZDF to identify the options for achieving the Government’s defence policy goals and the Ministry of Defence’s outcomes, in particular capability reviews for projects from the LTDP.
Performance
The Ministry continued to contribute to the Defence Sustainability Initiative Programme led by the NZDF.
Advice was developed on policy, technical and business case issues covering a wide range of projects. These included the: Wideband Satellite Communications project; Advanced Pilot Training Capability; Network Enabled Capability; Joint Command and Control Systems; the Land Command & Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance project; the Ohakea Consolidation and Taxiways projects; the ANZAC Frigate Platform Systems and Self Defence Upgrade projects; Army Combat Service Support Vehicles; Night Vision Equipment; the NZDF In-service Weapons Replacement project; and the VLLAD/VACS projects.
Advice and support was also provided on other projects including the Army Transformation Plan, the Defence Force Health Capability project, the Capability Management Framework review, the NZDF housing and accommodation review, and research into NZDF workforce issues.
The Ministry is leading a project to evaluate the LTDP and consider options for its replacement or extension. A 2008 update of the LTDP has also been prepared.
An integrated cost model of all NZDF expenditure (both operating and capital) is being developed jointly as well as an output-forecasting model for NZDF force element availability.
Acquisition
Objective
To provide advice during the acquisition phase of projects from the LTDP that have been approved by the Government, such as the Project Protector vessels, the upgrade of the C-130 Hercules fleet, the acquisition and modification of the second-hand Boeing 757 aircraft, the upgrade of the mission systems for the P-3 Orion fleet, the acquisition of helicopters and the acquisition of weapons and engineering equipment for the Army.
Performance
Advice was provided on issues with respect to Project Protector; the Medium Utility Helicopter and Light/Training Utility Helicopter projects; the C-130 Hercules, Boeing 757 and P-3 Orion upgrade projects; and the Naval Power and Naval Fuel Installation projects.
With the NZDF, advice was prepared on progress with essential infrastructure requirements and possible next steps for development at Ohakea and Whenuapai Air Force bases.
Whole of Government Response
Objective
To work with the NZDF and civilian agencies for co-ordinated responses to defence policy and security issues. These will include: Antarctica, arms control and disarmament, maritime patrol and surveillance, environment and security and trans-national criminal activity.
Performance
The Ministry worked with the NZDF and Treasury on the Ministry’s approach to implementing the requirements of the Capital Asset Management Review, including reviewing and improving life cycle costing estimates and the development of business cases.
The Ministry provided advice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on arms control and disarmament issues, including the Oslo process on cluster munitions, Certain Conventional Weapons convention related issues, and the Defence contribution to the UN Conventional Arms Register annual return. The Ministry worked on an update of Defence disarmament and arms control priorities for 2007/08.
The Ministry provided input into the report by Office of the Auditor-General on ‘Reporting the progress of defence acquisition projects.’
The Ministry jointly led the sub-sectoral implementation of the Pacific Disciplined Forces and Pacific Maritime Surveillance strategies.
International Defence Relationships
Objective
To manage defence relationships with Australia and other regional countries (including key bilateral meetings between Australian and New Zealand Defence Ministers, and Senior Officials’ meetings), and participate in the regional multilateral security dialogues (including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum and Five Power Defence Arrangements Defence Ministers’ Meeting).
Performance
The Ministry provided briefings and conducted bilateral defence talks with Vietnam, China and Japan.
The Ministry provided a range of briefings and was represented at several bilateral and multilateral meetings. These included: the Shangri-La Regional Security Dialogue, the annual NZDF-French Armed Forces in New Caledonia activities coordination meeting, the Quadrilateral Defence Co-ordination Group talks between Australia, New Zealand, and the United States; and the ASEAN Regional Forum security meetings and dialogue.
The Ministry provided briefings to the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Chief of Defence Force, Service Chiefs, senior NZDF officers and officials for meetings in: Australia, China, United States, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Belgium, India, Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa, and Papua New Guinea.
The Ministry was involved in the organisation and preparation of briefings for visits to New Zealand by defence ministers, chiefs of defence force, service chiefs and senior officials from: Canada, Malaysia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Greece, China, Singapore, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Brunei, and Timor-Leste.
Official Correspondence
Objective
To provide the following ministerial services:
- responses to Parliamentary Questions to be actioned within the timeframes set by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives
- responses to ministerial correspondence to be actioned within 14 working days of receipt by the Ministry
- responses to Official Information Act requests to be actioned within the timeframe set by statutory requirements
- responses to Ombudsmen Correspondence requests to be actioned within the timeframe set by statutory requirements.
Performance
During this year, the Ministry responded to 108 ministerials, of which 84% were actioned within fourteen working days, 59 Parliamentary Questions, all of which were completed within the timeframes set by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, and 50 Official Information Act requests, of which 47 were actioned within the timeframe set by statutory requirements. A total of three Ombudsmen correspondence requests have been actioned by the Ministry. Responses completed outside timeframes reflect the complexity of information at issue which required intensive consultation with key stakeholders.
Quality Control
Objective
To maintain quality control procedures to support the policy advice delivered under this output.
Advice will meet the following quality standards:
- reports will address the issues raised by the Minister in relation to the issues listed above
- assumptions will be explicit and arguments will be logical and supported by facts
- forecasts will be supported through analysis
- a range of options will be presented where appropriate and assessed for benefits, costs, and consequences
- consultation will be undertaken with the New Zealand Defence Force and other parties, and any objections identified
- issues of implementation, technical feasibility, timing, and consistency with other policies will be considered
- reports and oral advice will be delivered within agreed or statutory timeframes, and will be based on agreed or established formats (such as those set down by the Cabinet Office)
- budgetary implications will be identified
- written and oral advice tendered to the Minister of Defence will accurately reflect:
- revenue and expense implications (quantified where possible)
- administrative implications and costs (quantified where possible).
The Ministry of Defence will maintain quality control procedures to support the policy advice delivered under this output.
The quality of policy advice will be assessed in terms of whether it is credible, effective, respected and contributes to the achievement of the Government’s defence and security policy objectives by:
- seeking the Minister’s views
- seeking the views of key stakeholders in policy advice
- monitoring the results of self review.
Performance
The Ministry ensures that reports produced under this output class directly address issues raised by the Minister, provide logical arguments supported by facts, thorough analysis and, where appropriate, present a range of options assessed for benefits, costs, and consequences. Consultation is undertaken with the NZDF and other parties, and any objections identified. Issues of implementation, technical feasibility, timing, and consistency with other policies are also considered.
The quality of policy advice was assessed by seeking the Minister’s views and those of key stakeholders.
Audit Implementation
Objective
To implement the recommendations agreed by the Ministry from audits or reviews.
Performance
The Ministry has implemented the two recommendations arising from Evaluation Report 3/2008 which reviewed the project to replace the NZDF medium utility and training/light utility helicopters.
Cost of Output Class - Policy advice (GST exclusive)
For the year ended 30 June 2008
| 30/6/2007 Actual $000 |
30/6/2008 Actual $000 |
30/6/2008 Main estimates $000 |
30/6/2008 Supp. estimates $000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ||||
| Crown | 3,910 | 3,941 | 3,891 | 3,941 |
| Other | 69 | 80 | 48 | 68 |
| Total revenue | 3,979 | 4,021 | 3,939 | 4,009 |
| Expenditure | ||||
| Personnel | 2,519 | 2,861 | 2,787 | 2,838 |
| Operating | 1,193 | 1,142 | 1,152 | 1,171 |
| Total expenditure | 3,712 | 4,003 | 3,939 | 4,009 |
| Surplus | 267 | 18 | - | - |
