Summary and analysis of announcements made about decision making:

In March 2022 NZ Treasury stated that “relatively few investment proposals coming through the central government investment management system are well-planned and the use of business cases to support investment decision-making is variable.” (refer to The Treasury Investment Management Statement here on page 53)

1. In March 2022 NZ Treasury stated that “relatively few investment proposals coming through the central government investment management system are well-planned and the use of business cases to support investment decision-making is variable.” (refer to The Treasury Investment Management Statement here on page 53)

2.  In May 2022 NZ Treasury stated “if there is a high risk of projects being funded without a rigorous assessment based on sound analysis, the Treasury advised that the Government should set a lower debt ceiling. (refer to The Treasury’s “analysis and recommendations for fiscal rules” here on page 1.)

    

3. The Treasury’s 2023 Wellbeing Report highlighted the need to develop wellbeing solutions drawn from local intelligence and not just top down: focusing on medium-to-long-term planning with trade-offs and using Treasury CBAx as well as the Living Standards Framework.

4. In December 2023, the Auditor General released his report that Ministers did not have enough information to be sure that decisions supported value for money and agencies developed investment options for Ministers within extremely tight time frames.

    

5. In February 2024, the Secretary for the Treasury said publicly a joined-up approach is needed across the public sector to make decisions that will result in measurable increases in benefits for New Zealanders within a system that supports coordinated and considered decision making. here

    

6. In March 2024 Government released its Budget Policy Statement including the following statements:

   ●       Its goal is to build a stronger, more productive economy; more efficient, effective, and responsive public services; get the government’s books back in order and restore discipline to public spending.

   ●       funding high quality investments that provide benefits to New Zealand over time,

   ●       building a sustainable pipeline of investments and capital investment decisions based on robust asset management and investment planning, including the presentation of high-quality business cases.

    

7. In August 2024 Treasury released its Quarterly Investment Report March 2024 https://www.treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2024-07/cabinet-paper-eco-24-sub-0110.pdf stating:

   • In Government there is a lack of long-term planning and poor strategic thinking and inconsistent application of investment management rules and requirements. (e.g. business cases are not completed adequately, or at all, in seeking funding)

   • they commenced a review and update of the investment planning (Better Business Case) and assurance (Gateway) frameworks to ensure these are fit for purpose and are delivering value for Ministers and Cabinet, to deliver shorter and faster business cases that have the key information needed for Ministers and Cabinet to make well-informed, timely decisions throughout the investment lifecycle.

   • there are opportunities for agencies to collaborate on investments to reduce individual investment risk, support more coordinated and efficient procurement practices, and develop capability across agencies.

    

   8.      In September 2024 Minister of Infrastructure Chris Bishop warned Cabinet that Investment proposals are coming to us for approval before they are ready, and without sufficient evidence to support our decision-making," "This will ultimately slow the ability to deliver our infrastructure and investment priorities." "Treasury has started providing us with indicators to inform us about agency investment planning and delivery performance," he said. In large part, Bishop now is reliant on Treasury, which had oversight of the previous flawed system. In turn, Treasury depends on oversight through a blurred lens across both new projects, and old assets; reports note how agencies tended to underinvest and "sweat assets for as long as possible".

    

   9.      In December 2024 Treasury told Minister of Infrastructure Chris Bishop that many agencies lack understanding about planning large infrastructure projects, and this was "exacerbated by skills and capability gaps and poor asset planning and management". New projects planning was fraught, and building them was fraught, and so were existing assets, it said.

    

   10.  On 15 May 2025 The Minister for Infrastructure said “We want to strengthen the infrastructure system to lift asset performance and service outcomes for New Zealanders, ensure there is adequate investment in planned asset maintenance and renewal activities, ensure new investment decisions can be made within the overall context of agencies’ asset management plans, and improve accountability, capability, and oversight of our infrastructure. Article is here

    

   11.  On 1st July 2025 the outgoing Auditor General’s reflections here were:

   o   the public’s trust in democratic institutions is declining.

   o   Public organisations need to carefully consider how they build and maintain relationships with the diverse communities they serve.

   o   The public sector needs robust systems to support the integrity of what it does.

   o   The public sector is not short of strategies and plans but there is a lack of integrated and enduring planning, preparation, and investment for the future.

   o   It is difficult to get answers to important questions like: What are a government’s goals? How is it planning to achieve them? How does government spending connect to these plans? And what has been achieved for the money spent?