The ''Cabinet Manual'' (previously the ''Cabinet Office Manual'' until 2001) is a government document in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island country ...
which outlines the main laws, rules and
constitutional conventions affecting the operation of the
New Zealand Government
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, image = New Zealand Government wordmark.svg
, image_size=250px
, date_established =
, country = New Zealand
, leader_title = Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
, appointed = Governor-General
, main_organ =
...
. It has been described as providing "comprehensive, cohesive and clear advice on a number of key aspects of executive action. It is publicly available, and broadly accepted by a wide range of actors in NZ politics: politicians across the spectrum, officials, academics and the public."
Among its guidelines, the manual gives an overview of the roles of the
governor-general
Governor-general (plural ''governors-general''), or governor general (plural ''governors general''), is the title of an office-holder. In the context of governors-general and former British colonies, governors-general are appointed as viceroy t ...
,
ministers, and the
public service
A public service is any service intended to address specific needs pertaining to the aggregate members of a community. Public services are available to people within a government jurisdiction as provided directly through public sector agencies ...
; expectations about the conduct of ministers and public servants;
Cabinet procedures for decision-making; how a government is formed after an
election
An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual or multiple individuals to hold public office.
Elections have been the usual mechanism by which modern representative democracy has oper ...
; how
legislation
Legislation is the process or result of enrolling, enacting, or promulgating laws by a legislature, parliament, or analogous governing body. Before an item of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to ...
is developed by the government and
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...
; and the protection and use of information held by the government.
Written by the
Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for supporting the prime minister and Cabinet. It is composed of various units that support Cabinet committees and which co-ordinate the delivery of government object ...
, the ''Cabinet Manual'' is endorsed at the first Cabinet meeting of a new government. It was published most recently in 2017.
Background
New Zealand does not have a single
codified constitutional document. The ''Cabinet Manual'' forms one part of the
constitution of New Zealand
The constitution of New Zealand is the sum of laws and principles that determine the political governance of New Zealand. Unlike many other nations, New Zealand has no single constitutional document. It is an uncodified constitution, sometimes ...
, and serves to consolidate many of the previously
unwritten conventions through which the New Zealand Government operates.
The first edition was published on 23 January 1979.
The idea of such a document was proposed by Prime Minister
Sidney Holland about 30 years prior. A foreword by Prime Minister
Robert Muldoon
Sir Robert David Muldoon (; 25 September 19215 August 1992) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 31st Prime Minister of New Zealand, from 1975 to 1984, while leader of the National Party.
Serving as a corporal and sergeant in t ...
in the first edition states:
It is timely that nearly 30 years after the late Sir Sidney Holland issued his directive to the Secretary of the Cabinet all the lore of the Cabinet system should be consolidated. This Manual has done that, and I commend it to Ministers and Departments. It will be useful to them in observing and setting the highest standards for the orderly and efficient conduct of the Government's business.
See also
*
Letters Patent Constituting the Office of Governor-General of New Zealand – a royal decree which outlines the role of the governor-general; it is appended to the manual
*
Politics of New Zealand
*
Cabinet Manual (United Kingdom) – a similar British government document that was modelled on the New Zealand manual
References
External links
*
Cabinet Manual' – Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
{{Law of New Zealand
Government of New Zealand