Ministry for Culture and Heritage Annual Report 2006

Performance Target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual Performance

Further development of a stakeholder management strategy.

Development of the strategy was delayed during the year due to the pressure of ministerial servicing demands on the Communications Unit. A project plan for development of the strategy was signed off by the Management Team and the strategy will be completed in 2006/07.

Effective delivery of the Cultural Well-being project.

Connections with local authorities, central government ‘well-being’ agencies, and agencies in the cultural sector have been strengthened by:

• convening a Cultural Well-being Reference Group involving representatives from local authorities;
• organising opportunities for local authority representatives to meet with central government well-being agencies and agencies in the cultural sector; and
• participation in local/central government working groups, workshops, forums and conferences.

Find out more at www.mch.govt.nz/projects/culture/well-being

Actively co-ordinate cross-government initiatives to advance the place of culture and heritage in non-cultural outcomes.

The Ministry manages the Cultural Diplomacy International Programme (CDIP) in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, and Tourism New Zealand. It presents cultural activities offshore for leveraging trade, tourism, science, education and diplomatic outcomes.

Embed the co-ordination of multi-agency groups we have already established as an effective way of working.

The CDIP Steering Group, chaired by the Ministry, successfully supports ‘NZ Inc.’ policy coherence and operational alignment.

A group of government agencies supporting contemporary music was convened to promote better coordination of activity and information exchange.

See also information on the Screen Coordination Group and the Government

Coordinating Group for Historic Heritage

below under ‘Embedding Understanding of Culture’.

Further implementation of a programme to enhance the Ministry’s capacity to incorporate a Māori perspective in its work.

Staff were supported in enrolment in M āori language classes and presentations on aspects of M āori culture were given to staff.

Te Rito, an online programme for learning about M āori language and culture, was made available to staff.

The Ministry worked with other government agencies on programmes that support M āori language and culture.

Enhance links with public history institutions and groups.

A series of seminars with National Library and with Archives NZ were presented and the Ministry’s History Group had ongoing involvement with Museum and Heritage Studies at Victoria University.

The Ministry ran monthly ‘in-house’ seminars to help maintain links with a wide range of institutions including government departments, Crown entities, universities, publishers, media, museums, local authorities, the diplomatic corps, libraries and schools. Authors, museum professionals and other external speakers were invited to speak at seminars.

Links with teacher groups have been maintained through email correspondence and presentations on The Classroom website.

Other links have been maintained through book publicity, radio interviews and provision of advice to television, e.g. to M āori Television on ANZAC Day.

Performance Target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual Performance

Implement a programme to facilitate improved strategic thinking across the Ministry.

The government’s recently announced priority of enhancing national identity was explored in a series of internal workshops to discuss national identity issues.

Implement improved research input into policy development.

Research on mechanisms for setting broadcasting funding levels in OECD countries was commissioned from Unitec; a cost-benefit report was commissioned from Spectrum Strategy Consultants on the introduction of free-to-air digital television; and quarterly channel share reports were commissioned from AGB Nielsen.

A significant new contribution to cultural statistics was made with the completion of the Ministry’s Cultural Indicators for New Zealand report – find out more in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

Further cultural statistics were made available with the production of the Ministry’s Sponsorship of Cultural Events,Organisations, and Activities 2005 report (the fourth edition in an ongoing series); and Statistics New Zealand’s Household Spending on Culture 2006 report, which was published with assistance by the Ministry.

You can find the full reports on the Ministry’s website: www.mch.govt.nz

Advance a policy programme agreed with the Minister which will include baseline, organisational and legislative review of agencies.

Policy work began on scoping the possible amendment of both the New Zealand Film Commission Act 1978 and the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Act 1994.

Support was provided to the Associate Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage during the passage of the Historic Places Amendment Bill through the House. The Bill was enacted in June 2006, with a commencement date of 1 August 2006.

Find out more about this legislation in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

A review of the Waitangi National Trust Board was commenced in June 2006, and is scheduled for completion in 2006/07.

Progress the Broadcasting Programme of Action with legislative amendments for Radio New Zealand and the five-yearly review of its Charter.

The review of the Radio New Zealand Charter was initiated, and the proposed new Charter considered by the Commerce Select Committee which recommended its inclusion in legislation.

The Ministry led a cross-departmental policy programme to advance a key priority for the Broadcasting Programme of Action: Facilitate the successful development of digital broadcasting services. This resulted in the June 2006 announcement by government of key decisions in relation to the transition to free-to-air digital television in New Zealand.

Find out more about the Ministry’s work towards digital free-to-air television in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

Performance target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual performance

Ensure that all new appointees to cultural agency boards receive an appropriate induction programme.

With nearly all appointments being made at the end of the 2005/06 year, arrangements have been made with the 22 new appointees to attend new members’ workshops in August and September 2006. These will focus on relevant Crown governance issues.

Find out more about the Ministry’s governance work on our website:

www.mch.govt.nz/agency/boards/index.html

Implement an effective best-practice programme of up-skilling and development for boards of cultural agencies.

An active programme has been implemented including workshops with five entity boards, a quarterly governance e-newsletter to all board members, and regular memoranda on topics such as ‘Boards in Election Year’.

Improve board capacity for self-evaluation of their performance.

All funded agencies have agreed to an annual self-evaluation. The Ministry has assisted with the provision of templates and information, and arranged a facilitated workshop for one board.

Performance target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual performance

Implement a shared workspace to facilitate information sharing with funded agencies.

The Exchange Shared Workspace developed last year was maintained and enhanced by the addition of new content, including a section on operational policies. This enables agencies to share work they have done in areas such as computer usage, fraud control, procurement, and health and safety.

Enhance delivery of historical information in digital media.

NZHistory.net.nz has had a major revamp in the past 12 months which has enabled us to present history content in a much more professional and user-friendly form. New content added in this period includes entries on the pre-Treaty period, the New Zealand Wars, Te Kingitanga, Nuclear Free New Zealand, and the 1981 Springbok Tour. We have also created a popular new feature, the NZ History Calendar, which is presented on the homepage as ‘Today in New Zealand History’.

Find out more in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html and visit www.NZHistory.net.nz

Enhance teaching and learning opportunities through the information available on NZHistory.net.nz.

Learning activities supporting a number of features available on NZHistory.net.nz have been posted in The Classroom to enhance topics taught at Levels 1–3 of NCEA and for junior social studies. In addition, activities have been developed to support Anzac Day and events associated with Today in NZ History, which are suitable for a range of curriculum levels.

Find out more in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html and visit www.NZHistory.net.nz/classroom

Develop a cultural portal with a focus on cultural events.

The Ministry undertook the first stages of strategy and development work on its major new cultural portal project. This provides a coordinated web presence for cultural activities. NZLive.com: New Zealand Culture Online is to be launched in September 2006. It includes a comprehensive directory of cultural organisations, cultural events, activities and attractions and a range of web links providing information on New Zealand culture.

Find out more in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html and visit www.NZLive.com.nz

Continue to facilitate increased understanding amongst local authorities relating to Cultural Well-being.

The Ministry has built and maintained a high profile with local authorities in relation to Cultural Well-being, including those activities outlined above under ‘Ef fective delivery of the Cultural Well-being project’, and by:

• maintaining a website and making available brochures on Cultural Well-being;
• undertaking a stock take of Cultural Well-being indicators and measures used by local authorities; and
• publishing a review of approaches taken by regional authorities to

Cultural Well-being.

Implement the amendments to the Antiquities Act 1975 to enhance management of protected objects.

As at 30 June 2006 the proposed amendments to the Antiquities Act 1975 had not been passed by Parliament.

Performance target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual performance

Work on the ‘Places’ theme and launch the ‘Earth, Sea and Sky’ theme of Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.

The ‘Earth, Sea and Sky’ theme of Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, which contains 117 new entries, was launched in June 2006. The first two regions in the ‘Places’ theme were launched in December 2005 and work on the third region completed.

Find out more in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html and visit www.TeAra.govt.nz

Publish history of Governors-General, history of the Maori Battalion’s C Company, advance the Second World War oral history programme and establish the From Memory website to help the community with recording war oral history.

A history of New Zealand’s Governors-General was completed and delivered to the publishers in March 2006.

Significant progress was made on the work on the Maori Battalion’s C Company, with publication expected in 2007.

Two new publications were completed as part of the Second World War oral history programme: Hell or High Water: New Zealand Merchant Seafarers Remember the War was published in August 2005; and The Big Show: New Zealanders, D-Day and the War in Europe was published in June 2006.

Other histories completed during the year were:

• ‘Government and Māori Health, 1940-2000’;

• Innovation and Independence: The Reserve Bank of New Zealand, 1973-2002 ;
• Frontier of Dreams: The Story of New Zealand ;
• Frontier of Dreams – Television series;
• More Than Law and Order: Policing a Changing Society, 1945-1992 ;
• New Zealand and the Vietnam War: Politics and Diplomacy .

Find out more about our history publications in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

The From Memory website was launched in June 2005. Training workshops for community oral historians were held and the first interviews for this project have been received.

Visit the site at www.nzhistory.net.nz/war/from-memory

Develop and implement Year Two projects as part of the Cultural Diplomacy International Programme.

Projects implemented through the Cultural Diplomacy International Programme include:

• a New Zealand Film Festival in Japan, with an associated programme of activities;

• performances by the Kahurangi Māori Group at New Zealand festivals in Bangkok and Singapore;

• performances by Ngati Ranana at CHOGM in Malta;

• a New Zealand Film Festival at Taipei; and

• cultural activities at the opening of the Hong Kong Concept Centre.

Find out more about the programme in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

Support the passage of the Protected Objects Amendment Bill 2004 through the parliamentary process and its subsequent implementation.

Advice was provided to the Government Administration Committee on the Protected Objects Amendment Bill, which was reported to the House on 1 August 2005. Support was provided to the Associate Minister during the second reading of the Bill in May 2006.

Find out more about this legislation in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html

Advance the design and construction of the New Zealand Memorial in London.

The bronze standards of the Memorial were completed ahead of schedule and shipped to London for installation. Contracts are in place for the landscaping of the site, which started in July 2006. The Memorial will be completed in time for a dedication ceremony on 11 November 2006.

Find out more about the memorial in our digital Year in Review at www.mch.govt.nz/about/year-in-review.html and visit our London Memorial website:

www.mch.govt.nz/projects/memorials/london

Complete the construction of a New Zealand Memorial in Korea.

The New Zealand Memorial in the UN Cemetery in Busan, Korea, was unveiled by the Prime Minister on 19 November 2005.

Advance the establishment of a National Memorial Park on Buckle Street in Wellington.

Cabinet approved the transfer of the land on Buckle Street required to create the park from Transit New Zealand to the Ministry. Roading alignment options are being explored before the design of the park is finalised.

Find out more at our website:

www.mch.govt.nz/projects/memorials/park

Advance the Cultural Well-being project.

The Ministry’s Cultural Well-being project was advanced by:

• creating local authority ‘champions’ of Cultural Well-being to help mitigate the lack of a Ministry presence in the regions;

• providing local authorities with information, definitions and data; and

• providing feedback on draft 2006 Long-Term Council Community Plans.

See also above under ‘Effective delivery of the Cultural Well-being project’ and ‘Continue to facilitate increased understanding amongst local authorities relating to Cultural Well-being’.

Performance target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual performance

Convening the Cultural Diplomacy Co-ordinating Group and Steering Group for Cultural Diplomacy International Programme.

The Cultural Diplomacy International Programme and the (renamed) International Cultural Activities Co-ordinating Group provide opportunities for co-ordination of offshore cultural activities – see under ‘Improving Connections’ above.

The Ministry has also developed a quarterly International Cultural Diary which is made available to New Zealand diplomatic posts offshore.

Convening the Government Co-ordination Group for Historic Heritage.

Four meetings of the Government Co-ordinating Group for Historic Heritage were convened: in July and November 2005, and January and May 2006. As in previous years, the Group discussed a range of historic heritage issues of shared interest. In 2005/06, the Group also became actively engaged in developing a possible cross-government initiative to promote and enhance historic heritage sites of national symbolic importance.

Convening the Screen Co-ordination Group.

The Ministry convened three meetings of the Screen Co-ordination Group and developed communications material to support an understanding of its work among relevant agencies and sector organisations. It also led work with the Group to examine member agencies’ policies on recoupment and equity retention on investment.

Participation in the Creative Industries Working Group.

Advice was provided to the Ministry of Economic Development and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise on creative industries policy and initiatives, and the Ministry participated as a member of the Creative Industries Working Group.

Participation in the Inter-Agency Events Group

The Ministry participated as a member of the Group to ensure that the cultural components of events seeking major events funding are recognised. It provided input to the development of the Major Events Strategy and to the process for evaluating the Inter-Agency Events Group’s investments in major events.

Convening the Broadcasting interdepartmental group

The Ministry chairs a weekly meeting of departments with responsibilities for the broadcasting portfolio. It is convened to ensure there is appropriate co-ordination and information sharing.

Participation in both GIF-related and broadcasting digital forums.

As a member of the Digital Strategy steering group, the Ministry provided advice to the group and input into policy and funding decisions for the Community Partnerships Fund and the Broadband Challenge.

Advance the Cultural Well-being project.

The Ministry’s Cultural Well-being programme contributes to a broader understanding of how central and local government work together (along with the voluntary sector and businesses) to promote Cultural Well-being at a local level, and how that contributes to central government’s goals of national identity and economic transformation.

Performance target in 2005
Statement of Intent

Actual performance

Particular emphasis will be given to professional and leadership development programmes.

The Ministry’s professional development policy was reviewed during the year. A programme of in-house training was established, which included a leadership development programme.

Particular emphasis will be given to knowledge sharing initiatives.

Initiatives introduced during the year included enhanced access to media monitoring services along with the availability of a wider range of library databases to assist staff in their research and critical thinking.

Content on the Ministry’s intranet grew significantly over the past year to include comprehensive human resources and information management pages. Information is increasingly being made available solely through the intranet to solidify its role within internal communications.

Particular emphasis will be given to examining ways of enhancing project and programme management.

Project management training was provided to staff during the year as part of the programme of in-house professional development and training implemented.

Compliance with the good employer requirements of the State Sector Act 1988

The Ministry met all of its obligations in this regard.