Overview of New Zealand Policy Framework

The policy framework in Aotearoa New Zealand has long been theorized both academically and also inside the public sector through the efforts of the Te Kawa Mataaho | Public Service Commission and the Policy Project developed by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

The Policy Project has crafted three impactful policy improvement frameworks to elevate the standards of policy advice within government agencies. The Policy Quality Framework sets clear standards, enabling agencies to hold themselves accountable for the quality of their policy advice and fostering better decision-making. It empowers policy practitioners to develop high-quality advice and engage in constructive peer reviews. The Policy Skills Framework complements this by outlining the knowledge, skills, and behaviours essential for policy practitioners at various levels, facilitating individual skill mapping and aiding policy managers in evaluating team capabilities. These frameworks collectively embody a commitment to excellence in policy development and decision-making.

Furthermore, the Policy Capability Framework provides a holistic assessment of what constitutes a high-performing policy shop, emphasizing factors like people capability, stewardship, and customer-centric approaches. Agencies can leverage this framework to evaluate their policy capabilities and formulate action plans for enhanced policy advice performance. Together, these frameworks represent a cohesive and comprehensive approach to improving policy skills, organizational capabilities, and the overall quality of policy.

While the policy framework was enriched by the policy improvement guidelines, there are further research done to historically analyse the normativity and the transformation of the policy framework in Aotearoa, published mostly in the Policy Quarterly or by the Public Services Commission.

Research Areas and Primary Objectives

My current professional research centres on the development and refinement of policy frameworks within the local government context in Aotearoa New Zealand. Building on both academic scholarship and public sector practice, I am particularly focused on translating national-level policy development tools—such as those from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Policy Project and the Public Service Commission—into frameworks that are practical, scalable, and relevant for local councils.

While organisations such as Taituarā, the Local Government Commission, and Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) play an important role in fostering professional networks and strategic alignment across the sector, there remains a significant gap in the application of consistent, high-quality policy standards at the local level. My work aims to address this gap by contributing to the development of robust policy analysis, writing, and review frameworks tailored to the distinct needs and capacities of local government.

This involves critically examining how policy development practices can be adapted to meet local realities—ensuring that councils not only respond effectively to global and national challenges, but also build policy capabilities that are contextually grounded, transparent, and future-focused.

Research Questions

Methodology and Approach

I adopt a critical institutional and applied public policy methodology to examine how national-level policy development tools can be translated and adapted for use within local government in Aotearoa New Zealand. Grounded in critical political economy and informed by public administration theory, I aim to identify both the structural constraints and the enabling conditions that shape the development of policy capability at the local level.

The focus is on how councils engage with, adapt, and operationalise policy frameworks in a context shaped by limited resources, differing institutional capacities, and the diverse needs of local communities. The research pays particular attention to the dynamics of policy practice in local government, including how local actors interpret and apply guidance from national institutions in ways that are contextually grounded and locally relevant.

The methodology includes a comparative review of selected local councils’ policy documents and processes, alongside an analysis of institutional materials from organisations such as Taituarā, LGNZ, and the Local Government Commission. This approach enables a critical assessment of the extent to which emerging local frameworks align with national standards such as the DPMC’s Policy Quality Framework and Policy Skills Framework.

By situating this inquiry within the broader dynamics of public sector reform and local governance, I aim to contribute to the design of a scalable and adaptable policy review framework for local government—enhancing coherence, quality, and legitimacy in local policy-making across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Expected Contributions

Through this research, I aim to develop practical and theoretically informed contributions to the way policy is designed, reviewed, and implemented in the local government context. A key outcome will be the formulation of a scalable policy review framework that can guide councils in assessing the quality, coherence, and relevance of their policy work. This framework will be grounded in both national policy standards and local government realities, bridging the current gap between central policy guidance and local policy practice.

In addition to the framework itself, I have produced a set of adaptable toolkits to support policy development at the local level. These resources are designed to assist policy practitioners in applying consistent methods, improving transparency, and embedding strategic thinking into everyday policy processes. The contribution is providing a clearer understanding of how local government can exercise policy leadership in a way that is contextually grounded, methodologically sound, and strategically aligned with broader public sector goals in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Ultimately, my goal is to support the professionalisation of local policy work and contribute to a shared standard of practice that enhances both policy quality and democratic responsiveness across councils.