Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2009
Part 3: Statement of service performance (continued)
Output Class - Policy advice
Description
Under this output the Minister of Defence purchases:
- 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 Ombudsmen correspondence.
| Performance Measure | 2008/09 Budget |
2008/09 Actual |
|---|---|---|
| Submission of papers and other responses for the Minister, including Cabinet papers. |
24 - 30 | 46 |
| Prepare Ministerial correspondence for the Minister. |
35 - 55 | 131 |
| Prepare answers to Parliamentary questions for the Minister. | 90 - 100 | 72 |
| Prepare answers to Select Committee questions for the Minister. | 20 - 30 | 73 |
| The supply of individual policy papers will be of high quality, which will be assessed by the percentage of first drafts of all policy papers accepted by the Minister. |
90% | Achieved |
| The supply of all other responses will be of high quality, which will be assessed by the percentage of responses accepted without substantive amendment. | 95% | Achieved |
| All reports and oral advice will be delivered within the agreed or statutory time frame. | ||
| Ministerials within 14 working days of receipt of the request. | Achieved | Mostly achieved |
| Replies to Parliamentary questions for written answer provided by the due date. |
Achieved | Mostly achieved |
| Replies to Parliamentary Questions for oral answer provided by midday on the day that the reply is due in the House. | Achieved | Achieved |
** All future prime and ancillary contracts costs are considered commitments.
Overarching Policy Advice
The Ministry began Defence Review 09. Significant resources have been allocated to the workstreams, background papers have been drafted, public consultation has begun, and the Ministers' advisory panel has been established.
The Ministry is working with the NZDF, the Office of the Auditor-General, and the State Services Commission on the design of a Major Projects Report which will better enable external stakeholders to monitor the progress of large capability projects. The Ministry has been engaged with the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee to ensure that the reporting template that is being developed will supply external stakeholders with the necessary information requirements.
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 situation in Fiji and the Korean Peninsula; NZDF contributions to Timor-Leste, Solomon Islands and Afghanistan; and New Zealand's defence engagement with the South Pacific, China, Indonesia, and the United States.
The Ministry contributed to the planning for the New Zealand-run Proliferation Security Initiative exercise, Exercise Maru, and the Indonesia-Japan-New Zealand co-hosted Intersessional Meeting on Maritime Security 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 was 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 (UN) or other operations.
Performance
The Ministry was involved in the preparation of a number of Cabinet papers and submissions. These included extending the NZDF's deployments to UN peace support operations in Korea, Sudan, and Iraq; deploying NZDF personnel to peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan and Lebanon; seeking approval for additional support to the Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Afghanistan; considering options for drawdown in Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste; reviewing the NZDF deployment to Afghanistan; and reviewing the criteria for New Zealand engagement in peacekeeping 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 Australia, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, the Cook Islands, Timor-Leste, Brunei and Viet Nam.
Capability
Objective
To provide advice during the capability development phase of projects and 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.
Performance
The Ministry has contributed policy, technical, and business case advice on a wide range of land, air, maritime and joint capability projects.
Advice developed for Land and Special Forces projects have included the Land Command & Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance project; Army Combat Service Support Vehicles; Land Transport Capability project; Special Operations Training Facilities; Night Vision Equipment and the NZDF In-Service Weapons Replacement project.
Advice provided on air projects focused on the Ohakea Taxiways project and future infrastructure requirements for the Ohakea and Whenuapai Air Force bases. Advice provided on major maritime projects included the ANZAC Frigate Platform Systems and ANZAC Self Defence Upgrades. Advice provided on joint capability projects included Wideband Satellite Communications, Network Enabled Capability and the Joint Command and Control System.
In addition to project advice, the Ministry has made a major contribution to Defence's capability development and sustainment processes. Work has involved support for the Defence Review's analysis of the NZDF's future capabilities and force structure; the New Zealand Army Transformation Plan; the revision of the Capability Management Framework; and the Defence Sustainability Initiative Programme.
The Ministry continues to assist the NZDF in developing an integrated cost model of all NZDF expenditure (both operating and capital) as well as an output-forecasting model for NZDF force element availability.
Acquisition
Objective
To provide advice during the acquisition phase of projects 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 New Zealand Army.
Performance
Policy advice and support was provided on the following projects under acquisition: Special Operations capability; Night Vision Equipment, Medium Utility Helicopter project; Training and Light Utility Helicopter project; Boeing 757 modification project; and Project Protector.
In conjunction with the NZDF, advice was prepared to assist in finalising agreements on the infrastructure development requirements for the 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 included: integrated missions in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste and Solomon Islands, plus Antarctica, arms control and disarmament, maritime patrol and surveillance, environment and security and trans-national criminal activity.
Performance
The Ministry participated in the whole-of-government reviews on Afghanistan and contributions to peacekeeping, and regularly attended interagency meetings on the three largest deployments. These interactions ensure coordination of activities in theatre and in Wellington.
In conjunction with the NZDF, the Ministry provided advice to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on export control applications. It also provided input into the process for ratification of the Convention on Cluster Munitions. The Ministry assisted in Defence's annual return for the UN Conventional Arms Register and provided an updated brief to Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee (FADTC) on the NZDF's depleted uranium monitoring programme.
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 Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Viet Nam, Republic of Korea, and China.
The Ministry provided a range of briefings and was represented at several bilateral and multilateral meetings. These included: the Asia Security Summit (Shangri-La Dialogue); the Five Power Defence Arrangements defence chiefs' meeting and Ministers' meeting; 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; NATO/ISAF Defence Ministers' meetings; the Proliferation Security Initiative; and various 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: Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Vanuatu, and Viet Nam.
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: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Malaysia, NATO, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom, United States, and Viet Nam.
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 131 ministerials, of which 106 were actioned within fourteen working days, 72 Parliamentary Questions, of which 66 were completed within the time frames set by the Standing Orders of the House of Representatives, and 64 Official Information Act requests, of which 62 were actioned within the time frame set by statutory requirement. One Ombudsmen correspondence request was actioned by the Ministry within the time frame set by statutory requirement. Responses completed outside the time frames reflect the complexity of information at issue which required intensive consultation with 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 NZDF 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.
Cost of Output Class - Policy advice (GST exclusive)
For the year ended 30 June 2009
| 30/6/2008 Actual $000 |
30/6/2009 Actual $000 |
30/6/2009 Main estimates $000 |
30/6/2009 Supp. estimates $000 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ||||
| Crown | 3,941 | 4,174 | 3,891 | 4,174 |
| Other | 80 | 57 | 68 | 68 |
| Total revenue | 4,021 | 4,231 | 3,959 | 4,242 |
| Expenditure | ||||
| Personnel | 2,861 | 2,910 | 2,878 | 2,957 |
| Operating | 1,142 | 1,165 | 1,081 | 1,285 |
| Total expenditure | 4,003 | 4,075 | 3,959 | 4,242 |
| Surplus | 18 | 156 | - | - |
