Statement of Intent 2011-2014
Table of contents
- Foreword from Ministers
- Ministerial Statement of Responsibility
- Introduction from the Chief Executive
- Chief Executive Statement of Responsibility
- Nature and Scope of Functions
- Strategic direction
- Operating Intentions
- Managing in a changeable operating environment
- Assessing organisational health and capability
- Appendix 1: TPK's Main connections with other agencies
- Appendix 2: How Crown Entities and the Māori Trustee contribute to TPK's Outcomes.
Assessing organisational health and capability
To succeed, our organisation needs strong leaders, a clear sense of direction, and a constant form of communicating the outcomes that are to be achieved. We continually strive for a healthy, vibrant and capable organisation with all the appropriate resources to contribute to our desired outcomes. The Ministry is in good operational shape (as evidenced in the Performance Improvement Framework independent review process last year), but there are always areas that can be strengthened and built on. We shall face pressures and challenges in an environment of fiscal constraints and significant change in the public service over the term of this Statement of Intent.
With this in mind, Te Puni Kōkiri will continue to actively seek ways to improve in critical areas as follows:
- Capitalise on strong external relationships that enable us to provide quality advice and deliver on our responsibilities in the most effective way;
- Greater focus on career planning and talent development;
- Employ excellent people who have top quality intellect, commitment, balance individual and team work and work with a passion for achieving Māori success;
- To achieve more with less by improving our productivity;
- Maintain sound financial, quality assurance and governance systems; and
- Engage effectively to promote and communicate the outcomes for which Te Puni Kōkiri is responsible.
Success Indicators
The Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) review undertaken in 2010 found that Te Puni Kōkiri’s delivery against its core business and key priorities to be of a high standard overall. There were areas identified for improvement and a commitment to an Action Plan to address these areas. We expect to demonstrate timely progress against the agreed Action Plan.
In addition, we know we will be achieving success if we maintain or improve our status against the following organisational health indicators, baseline data and trends:
| ORGANISATIONAL HEALTH INDICATOR | BASELINE DATA/TRENDS |
| Stakeholder Surveys (annual) | A stakeholder survey conducted in 2009/10 across key regional stakeholders showed positive results including 76% strongly agreed that the service met their expectations and 87% strongly agreed that Te Puni Kōkiri staff were competent |
| Staff Engagement Survey (bi-annual) | The staff engagement survey completed in April/May 2010, demonstrated positive shifts in staff engagement by 4.1% and 5.8% respectively since 2008. It also demonstrated strong comparisons against central Government benchmark data; engaged staff at 29.1%, (benchmark: 22.7%). Disengaged staff were 5.7% (benchmark: 10.6%) |
| Staff Turnover (annual) is equal to, or lower than the public sector average. | At June 2010: unplanned turnover was 7.5% (public sector average: 9%) |
| Independent Audit Ratings of our management control environment (annual) | Our financial information, systems, and controls (2010: ‘very good’); and our service performance information, systems, and controls (2010: ‘needs improvement’) |
| BASS Benchmarking Results capturing our performance of administrative and support service functions (annual) | Initial baseline developed for 2009/10 |
| Independent Review of Policy Advice (annual) | For the year ended 30 June 2010, assessed overall quality as 5.7 out of a possible score of 6 (5.21 in 2008/09) |
Working Better Together
The Government has given clear signals to the Public Sector that it expects government agencies to work together collaboratively; to focus on “front-line” delivery; to deliver “smarter, better public services for less”.
Te Puni Kōkiri is ideally placed to contribute significantly to Government’s challenge. We are an agency that works together with a wide range of government, non-government and Māori organisations.
The implementation of Whānau Ora, for which Te Puni Kōkiri is the lead agency, is testament of our ability to transform the way in which government transacts with social service providers and whānau.
People Capability
We continue to be committed to making Te Puni Kōkiri a place where people aspire to work, are able to develop and can make a difference. Our People Capability Strategy through to 2016 is currently under development. It is informed by our Values, our latest staff engagement survey and the public service context within which we operate. We intend also to incorporate our remuneration, employment relations, learning and development and career management planning into our strategy.
Cost Effectiveness
Te Puni Kōkiri is committed to ensuring the on-going provision of cost-effective services to Ministers and Stakeholders. The challenge over the next three years will be to ensure that we are appropriately configured, and that resources are appropriately directed to ensure maximum value for money and informed judgments on alternative delivery options at a time of static or reducing baselines.
The PIF Action Plan completed in 2010 identified measuring/achieving effectiveness and efficiency as an area for development. Te Puni Kōkiri is gathering benchmark data, through both the Better Administration and Support Services (BASS) Programme and the Review of Expenditure on Policy Advice, and will use this to inform continuous business improvement and development.
In addition, the Priority Alignment Review underway internally has identified a range of business processes for fuller consideration, including for example, contract management, Ministerial servicing, automating accounts payable and giving effect to our role in the Treaty settlements process.
Other activities include:
Managing operating expenditure through a programme of targeted expenditure reviews and active participation in collaborative procurement arrangements offered across the public sector is also in place; and
Rationalisation of support service functions through the active consideration of business process improvements, greater use of technology, outsourcing and opportunities for cross-agency collaboration.
Equality and Diversity
Following the Pay and Employment Equity Review the Ministry integrated its response plan into the People Capability Strategy. The strategy continues to build on the key themes of equity in rewards; participation; and fairness and respect. Human resource key performance indicators continue to monitor for gender equity as do periodic reporting mechanisms such as staff participation in performance management and annual reward rounds.
Communications
Te Puni Kōkiri is always looking for new and better ways to do its work and engage with Māori. We aim to be a more effective communicator and to proactively promote the activities and achievements of Te Puni Kōkiri. External publications such as Kōkiri and E-Kōkiri are an effective means of advising the most relevant, timely, and factual information to staff and stakeholders alike. A further communiqué, - Kōtuitui, is our main means of internal networking that aims to link us all in our work by sharing success stories.
We continue to focus on our shift toward e-based communication tools and are exploring ways of utilising social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter plus social media as a business tool.
Maintaining an Evaluation Programme
In 2010 we revised and strengthened our evaluation strategy from a focus purely on community based investment categories to include a wider scope of our departmental outputs. The revised strategy has set the direction for all Te Puni Kōkiri evaluation activity for the next three years and is aligned with Government and organisational priorities. It is intended to demonstrate progress in achieving outcomes, supporting new and/ or expanded programmes or investments; justifying expenditure and making decisions about how best to allocate limited resources.
The strategy provides a foundation for Te Puni Kōkiri to use evaluation to:
- provide an evidence-based approach to support decision-making in relation to investment decisions, programme planning and design, implementation and related policy advice;
- be able to demonstrate value for money in respect to the expenditure of public funds; and
- be able to demonstrate progress in achieving outcomes for Māori.
The strategy and associated work programme is monitored by an Evaluation Advisory Group to ensure that operational decision-making needs are being met.
Better, smarter public services
Te Puni Kōkiri shall continue to be proactive and open-minded to new ways of delivering services through shared delivery (Whānau Ora and Māori language), outsourcing or public-private partnerships (PPP’s) and improving the whole of Government effectiveness for Māori.
The Government Procurement Reform is expected to achieve productivity gains to include a suite of initiatives on cost savings, building capability, simplifying suppliers’ interactions with the Government and improving governance. Te Puni Kōkiri will continue to be a proactive participant in this reform programme.
In addition we need to try other approaches to forming policy advice to enhance the quality, rigour and speed of the advice we offer. Targeted and timely consultation with robust analysis and public participation and acceptance of new ideas is an option.
To realise the aim of government to lift the productivity levels in the public sector Te Puni Kōkiri will over the term of this SOI ensure:
- services are designed and delivered to Ministers and Stakeholders alike in ways that are cost-effective and that we can prove it;
- there is clear and shared understanding of good public sector performance by Ministers, Parliament, the public sector, the media and the public, and that we are accountable for its delivery;
- success is transparently measured by what has been achieved, not purely on what has been produced;
- sound investment in people, processes and systems; and
- an internal review programme to identify and implement efficiency and effectiveness improvements in policy development, programme management, relationships and information and corporate compliance.
Performance Improvement Framework Action Plan
Last year Te Puni Kōkiri participated in the first round of the Performance Improvement Framework (PIF) formal assessment programme that provided comprehensive analysis of our capability and capacity. It was an independent review to ascertain our performance in the areas of; leadership; direction and delivery; external relationships; people development; and financial and resource management.
The main areas of focus are: Overall, the review findings were positive and the priority areas of strategic direction; work prioritisation; people development; and measuring/achieving effectiveness and efficiency were identified as areas for improvement. Te Puni Kōkiri has a plan to address these areas in the short term and will report on progress in the 2010/11 Annual Report to Parliament.
| AREA | FOCUS |
| Strategic capability |
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| Work prioritisation, information sharing, and policy alignment |
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| Efficiency and effectiveness |
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| Performance management and staff development |
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| Communication |
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| Audit & assurance |
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