Managing in a Changeable Operating Environment

Operating Environment and Strategic Challenges

The Ministry’s immediate operating environment carries some uncertainty, including the medium to long term role, shape and position of Te Puni Kōkiri. While the role based recommendations arising from the recent reviews are broadly aligned with the Ministry’s current roles and functions, there are a number of recommendations relating to structure, capability and emphasis which together speak to a programme of organisational change and sharpened prioritisation of work programme. The areas of likely potential change are future delivery arrangements and appropriations for Whānau Ora, strategic emphasis in the policy function and innovation emphasis in the investment function.

Effecting agreed change, including building depth of capability (in terms of broad-based sector coverage), and managing expectations to align with a more sharply focused work programme, present some medium term challenges. Ministerial support, particularly in terms of agreeing work programme trade-offs, will be important to the future success of the Ministry. Other important factors impacting on our current and future state include:

• the Government’s wider drive for delivering on its Better Public Services, Business Growth Agenda and Rebuilding Canterbury commitments, and managing the associated expectations of Te Puni Kōkiri within our capacity limits;
• the Relationship Accord and Confidence and Supply Agreement between the National Party and the Māori Party, and emerging political commitments between parties within government; and
• the changing Māori and iwi representational landscape, and the higher expectations these parties have in terms of their engagement with government and their experience ofgovernment services.

The most significant strategic challenge facing Te Puni Kōkiri at the present time is establishing clarity about its medium to long term role, shape and position going forward. Although the Ministry has positioned itself and continues to be well placed to advise on and respond to the two most recent reviews, we intend to focus in the coming months on ensuring we have the right capability mix to deliver on agreed directions and to build upon our current leadership role in critical areas of Māori achievement and success.

This will include building a depth of capability in areas of agreed emphasis, and shifting regional capability towards a stronger relationship focus.

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