Forecast Service Performance 2007/08
This section describes each Output Expense that MAF is funded under and how we measure our performance on delivering these groups of outputs
Service Performance Overview
MAF administers three areas of government responsibility (votes):
- Vote Agriculture and Forestry
- Vote Biosecurity
- Vote Food Safety
Under each vote are a number of output expenses. These are groupings of the goods and services MAF delivers. Our performance against them will be assessed against the performance measures and financial forecasts included in this section.
The delivery of these goods and services is what MAF is doing externally to achieve our outcomes (and intermediate outcomes). If we have performed well under our output expenses there should be movement towards the three outcomes in our Outcome Framework.
Good performance against these 18 output expenses drives our progress toward our three main Outcomes.
Vote Agriculture & Forestry
Agriculture and Forestry Policy Advice
Policy advice contributes to many of MAF's intermediate outcomes.
This covers analysis and decision-making support underpinning policy advice to Ministers and the Government in relation to the sector. It includes analysis and advice on legislation, institutional arrangements, and on policy and operational initiatives in relation to the sector, rural communities and other stakeholders. The focus is on sustaining and enhancing the economic contribution of this sector to New Zealand, and on the economic, environmental and cultural sustainability of the sector, of their land, water and genetic resources, and of the communities dependent on them.
Performance Measures
- All policy advice conforms to the criteria set out in Schedule A as assessed by one or more of the methods identified in Schedule B.
- Priority work is completed as agreed with the Minister in the 2007/08 output plan (including any subsequent agreed amendments).
- All policy advice meets or exceeds the following Ministerial quality thresholds:
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters rejected (for content);
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 15 days after receipt;
- no Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 20 days after receipt; and
- less than five percent of Cabinet papers submitted to Cabinet Committee after due date.
- 100 percent of input into key international forums meets Ministerial expectations, consultation requirements of international organisations and is informed by consultation with relevant affected stakeholders.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $30.121 million. The appropriation is funded by $29.543 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.578 million.
Animal Welfare
The intermediate outcome these activities primarily contribute to is:
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
This involves setting standards for animal welfare complying with the Animal Welfare Act 1999 and covers investigation and (where appropriate) prosecution of individuals and organisations who breach animal welfare legislation.
Performance Measures
- Animal welfare standards (codes of welfare and codes of ethical conduct) developed during 2007/08 are 100 percent compliant with the legal and constitutional requirements of the Animal Welfare Act.
- All policy advice conforms to the criteria set out in Schedule A as assessed by one or more of the processes identified in Schedule B.
- All policy advice meets or exceeds the following Ministerial quality thresholds:
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters rejected (for content);
- less than five percent of Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 15 days after receipt;
- no Ministerial letters submitted to Minister's office more than 20 days after receipt; and
- less than one percent of Cabinet papers submitted to Cabinet Committee after due date.
- Priority work undertaken by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and the National Animal Ethics Advisory Committee is completed as agreed with the Minister in the 2007 Operational Plan (including any subsequent agreed amendments).
- 100 percent of input into key international forums meets Ministerial expectations, consultation requirements of international organisations and is informed by consultation with relevant affected stakeholders.
- 95 percent of criminal investigations prepared for prosecution meet prima facie requirements (sufficient evidence to initiate criminal proceedings).
- At least 90 percent of prosecutions are successful.
- Less than five percent of cases lodged with the Court incur adverse judicial comment (to allow for the pursuit of precedent setting by the Court).
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $2.572 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.547 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.025 million.
Administration of Indigenous Forestry Provisions
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- Sustainable use of resources, and the natural systems they are based on, by the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
This involves the administration of Part IIIA of the Forests Act 1949 which relates to the management of privately owned indigenous forest. Principally this involves the administration of sustainable forest management plans and permits, controls on sawmills processing indigenous logs and the export of indigenous forest produce, and breaches of Part IIIA of the Forest Act. The administration of the Crown's undertakings with respect to the preparation and funding of sustainable forest management plans on South Island Landless Natives Act3 land is also a function of this purpose.
Performance Measures
- 95 percent of Sustainable Forest Management plans received are processed/reviewed within the approved timeframe provided by Part IIIA of the Forests Act 1949.
- The regularity of monitoring of Sustainable Forest Management plans conforms with the provisions of Part IIIA of the Forests Act 1949.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $2.679 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.617 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.062 million.
Climate Change
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- Sustainable use of resources, and the natural systems they are based on, by the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.
- New Zealanders are informed and involved participants in MAF's regulatory systems.
- Enhanced prosperity for Māori engaged in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.
This covers analysis and advice on sustainable land management and climate change including advice on managing deforestation, encouraging afforestation and reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. This work also links with other sustainable land management initiatives and Government's wider climate change work. It includes advice on possible legislation and operational initiatives and partnerships with the land-based sectors.
Performance Measures
- All Climate Change policy advice conforms to the criteria set out in Schedule A as assessed by one or more of the processes identified in Schedule B.
- Priority work is completed as agreed with the Minister in the 2007/08 output plan (including any subsequent agreed amendments).
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $2.517 million. The appropriation is funded by $2.372 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.145 million.
Contract, Grant and Asset Management
The intermediate outcomes these activities primarily contribute to are:
- Effective stewardship of Crown Forestry assets.
- Enhanced prosperity for Māori engaged in the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.
- Connected and resilient rural communities.
- Sustainable use of resources, and the natural systems they are based on, by the agriculture, food and forestry sectors.
- A business environment for the agriculture, food and forestry sectors that supports innovation, enterprise and high performance.
This covers the management of certain Crown forest and land assets, and the Crown's participation in contracts and agreements with others in forestry and agriculture, including arrangements covered by legislation and regulations for which the Crown retains an ownership interest or ongoing obligation.
Performance Measures
- No known breaches of statute, lease agreements, forestry rights and other contractual arrangements by Crown Forestry occur or are upheld since the last independent audit.
- Annual independent assessment of a sample of operations confirms that Crown Forestry achieves stumpage returns consistent with national benchmarks.
- No forest loss from fire attributable to the quality of Crown Forestry's response and systems, as determined by rural fire district investigations.
- The administration of East Coast Forestry Grants is consistent with the statutory framework.
- The administration of the Sustainable Farming Fund is consistent with the statutory framework.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $3.398 million. The appropriation is funded by $3.351 million revenue Crown and estimated third-party revenue of $0.047 million.
Contestable Services
These activities are cost-recovered and do not directly contribute to our intermediate outcomes.
This output expense covers the subleasing of surplus accommodation owned or leased by the Ministry and the cost recovery of associated shared or in-house services.
Cost
Outputs will be provided within the appropriated sum of $2.200 million. This appropriation is fully funded by third-party revenue.
Contact for Enquiries
Strategy and Performance Group
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
Pastoral House
25 The Terrace
PO Box 2526, Wellington
Tel: +64 4 894 0100
Fax: +64 4 894 0738
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