NZDF

Departmental Output Expense D1

Policy and Administration

Description

The purchase of the provision of policy advice on, and administration of, a wide range of issues relating to veterans' entitlements, care, and recognition.  This includes the provision of administrative services to relevant boards and committees, the coordination of commemorations, the administration of contracts for service for, and undertaking quality audits of, maintenance and development work carried out in Services Cemeteries.

Overview

All but two performance targets were met.

Performance

Performance Standards and Measures Performance Achieved
Provide policy advice to the Minister of Veterans' Affairs on veterans’ entitlements, care and recognition  
95% of replies to requests within 20 days of receipt of requests, if not otherwise specified. 100% of all replies to requests were completed within 20 days of receipt.
95% of drafts of policy papers presented to the Minister will be accepted on their first presentation. 100% of first drafts of all policy papers were accepted on their first presentation.
Policy papers will meet defined characteristics of quality advice (purpose, logic, accuracy, options, consultation, practicality and presentation). All of these defined characteristics were met.
90% of responses to submissions, other than policy papers, accepted without amendment.  100% of responses to submissions, other than policy papers, were accepted without amendment.
Provide Ministerial Servicing and Support  
95% of replies to requests within 20 days of receipt of requests, if not otherwise specified. Due to staffing levels, 88% of all replies to requests were completed within 20 days of receipt.
95% of responses accepted without amendment. 100% of responses were accepted without amendment.
Provide Administration for War Pensions Appeal Board and War Pensions Advisory Board  
All arrangements and actions will meet the Boards’ requirements. All arrangements and actions met the Boards’ requirements.
95% of actions defined by Boards will be completed within 20 working days after decisions made, unless otherwise specified. 100% of actions defined by Boards were completed within 20 working days after decisions were made.
Management of Rehabilitation Loan Scheme  
Provide information to MSD in a timely manner to enable them to make payments 100% of the time. Information was provided to MSD in a timely manner to enable them to make payments 100% of the time. Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand took this function over from MSD in August 2008.
Administration of maintenance agreements and contracts for service relating to the maintenance and development of Services Cemeteries  
Contracts to be current, legally correct and clearly specify maintenance and development requirements. Contracts were current, legally correct and clearly specified maintenance and development requirements.
No breaches of contract by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand. There were no breaches of contract by Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand.
Breaches of contracts by contractors will be managed as per the conditions in the contract. There were no breaches of contract.
100% of Services Cemeteries will have maintenance agreements specifying the maintenance standards in place. 99% of Service Cemeteries had maintenance agreements specifying the maintenance standards in place. (One council has signed subsequent to 30 June 2009.)
Quality Audits of Services Cemeteries  
100% of specifications outlined in contracts for service have been met. 100% of the specifications outlined in contracts for service were met.
Services Cemeteries are maintained to the satisfaction of VANZ, Local Authorities, the RSA and veterans’ representative organisations. Service Cemeteries were maintained to the satisfaction of VANZ, Local Authorities, the RSA and veterans’ representative organisations.
Coordinate New Zealand’s participation in the commemoration of significant military anniversaries  
Participation to be delivered in accordance with agreed parameters and budget.  Participation was delivered in accordance with agreed parameters and budgets.
The event coordination will be to the satisfaction of the key stakeholders.  Event coordination was to the satisfaction of key stakeholders.

Conditions

Reference Conditions
Quality Characteristics Description
Purpose The aims of the papers are clearly stated and answer the questions the Minister has raised.
Logic The assumptions behind the advice are explicit, the argument is logical and supported by facts.
Accuracy The facts in the papers are accurate and all material facts have been included.
Options An adequate range of options has been presented and each is assessed for benefits, costs and consequences to the Government and the community.
Consultation Evidence of adequate consultation with interested parties and possible objections to proposals have been identified.
Practicality The problems of implementation, technical feasibility, timing and consistency with other policies have been considered.
Presentation The format meets Cabinet Office requirement, the material is effectively and concisely summarised, has short sentences in plain English, and is free from spelling and grammatical errors.

Costs of Output Expense D1: Policy and Administration (GST Exclusive)

Actual
2007/08
($ million)		 Category Main
Estimates
($ million)		 Supplementary
Estimates
($ million)		 Actual
2008/09
($ million)
  Expenditure      
1.777 Personnel 1.085 0.563 0.572
1.405 Operating 0.584 1.678 1.259
- Capital Charge - 0.028 0.028
3.182 Total Expenses 1.669 2.269 1.859
  Income      
4.901 Revenue Crown 1.669 2.269 2.269
0.008 Revenue Other - - -
4.909 Total Income 1.669 2.269 2.269
1.727 Net Surplus (Deficit) - - 0.410

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This page was last reviewed on 1 October 2009, and is current.