Hunn Review: Annexes (30 September 2002)
Annex I
Recommended National Security and Defence Governance Structures
- It is the conclusion of this Review that there is a fundamental requirement for new national security and defence governance structures that reflect two critical concepts:
- the cross-governmental, multi-agency nature of national security in the 21st century; and
- the need for greater inclusiveness (both civilian and military, and joint and single Service) in decision-making forums to ensure all value-adding inputs of information can be contributed and to achieve greater ownership of the decision-making process and results.
- These two concepts are reflected in the following recommended governance structures for New Zealand national security, and the management of the Defence Organisation outlined in Figure 1:
Figure 1: New Governance Structure for National Security and Defence
View text equivalent of above image.
National Security Committee of Cabinet
- It is suggested that a permanent Committee of Cabinet on National Security might be created. This Committee would have the following responsibilities:
- political direction on strategic priorities for shaping New Zealand's medium to long term national security environment; and
- guidance to Cabinet on decisions responding to security crises and emergencies and direction to relevant departments and agencies to carry out the components of any national response strategy.
- The Prime Minister would chair the Committee with the Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Finance being permanent members and other Ministers invited as appropriate. The Secretaries of Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Defence, and Foreign Affairs, and the CDF would serve as principal advisers to the Committee.
National Security Officials Committee
- It is also suggested a National Security Officials Committee might be set up with the following responsibilities:
- co-ordinating and consolidating national security policy and strategy advice to the Cabinet and Cabinet National Security Committee;
- providing the Cabinet with periodic assessments of national security risks as well as response capabilities;
- generating a top-level national security strategy for approval by Cabinet, identifying New Zealand's national security outcomes, policy objectives for ach contributing department and agency, and the main contributory capabilities and initiatives;
- co-ordinating the implementation of Cabinet directives in response to specific threats to national security;
- serving as a centre of expertise for inter-departmental/ agency processes and procedures and as an officials-level focus for networking with strategic partners on international security issues; and
- providing the overall management and evaluation framework within which the activities of each of the individual organisations concerned (including Defence) were conducted and assessed -this would reinforce the Government's growing emphasis on strategic outcomes.
- The CE of the Department of Prime and Cabinet would serve as the Chair, with the Secretaries of Defence and Foreign Affairs, the Chief of the Defence Force, and other relevant Department CEs with a national security interest comprising the membership.
- This Officials Committee would be supported by a small Secretariat of staff seconded from each of the permanent members of the Committee, and the External Assessments Bureau. This Secretariat would be most logically located in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Strategy Committee of the Defence Organisation
- It is suggested that a transformed Defence Organisation would require a top-level management and decision-making body that is inclusive, covers the responsibilities and accountabilities of both constituent parts of the organisation. Working with the joint, integrated model of a defence organisation outlined in Annex J, this committee -the Strategy Committee - would integrate both senior military and civilian advisers and decision- makers. Its membership would include Secretary, the CDF, a Vice Chief, a Deputy Secretary of Defence, heads of Defence Evaluation and Acquisition Services, the Chief Financial Officer, the Joint Forces Commander, New Zealand, and the three Service Chiefs. For greater transparency, and to infuse other relevant perspectives, it is suggested that an appropriately qualified external director could also be included.
- The Minister would chair the Strategy Committee at least on a quarterly basis, or more frequently depending upon his or her preference. The Secretary and CDF would co-chair all other meetings of the Committee.
Defence Organisation Subordinate Committees
- Five subordinate committees are recommended to co-ordinate and manage the products to be considered by the Strategy Committee. These are:
- Defence Policy Committee (chaired by the Secretary; membership: CDF, Deputy Secretary of Defence, Vice Chief, Director, Policy, Strategy and Plans) (consideration should also be given to including a staff member from the National Security Officials Committee Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade);
- Chiefs of Staff Committee (chaired by CDF; membership: Vice Chief, Chief of Navy, Chief of Army, Chief of Air Force, Joint Forces Commander NZ and Secretary)
- Acquisition Management Board (chaired by the Secretary; membership: CDF, Deputy Secretary of Defence, Vice Chief, Head Acquisition Services, Director, Force Structure, Resources and Logistics)(consideration should also be given to including an independent external corporate sector director);
- Defence Capabilities Committee (co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary of Defence, and the Vice Chief; membership: Director Force Structure, Resources and Logistics, Head Acquisition Services, Director, Policy, Strategy and Plans); and
- Defence Staff Co-ordinating Committee (co-chaired by the Deputy Secretary of Defence, and the Vice Chief; membership: functional directors of the Defence Strategic Staff).
