Events Calendar

The Environmental Policy & Law Reform conference will deliver the latest updates on some of Aotearoa’s most pressing future legislation. Join the discussions with a wide variety of experts on what the upcoming legislation will mean for Aotearoa and how they can be practically implemented.

Our diverse line-up of expert speakers will thoroughly unpack, explore, and discuss the upcoming RMA reform and Natural & Built Environment Act to best prepare attendees for what will change. Other key legislation and topics being addressed will include the Three Waters Reform, climate change in Aotearoa, the Urban Development Act, freshwater and more.

Top 5 Reasons to Attend: 

• Get a full update on the RMA reform and how these changes can be practically implemented
• Discuss the Three Waters Reform and what this means for freshwater in Aotearoa
• Explore key features in urban planning and infrastructure legislation
• Learn the impacts of rapidly changing legislation from a wide range of perspectives including councils, courts and more
• Network with others across local government, utility providers, consulting agencies and law professionals

Latest Updates on:

• Unpacking draft bills including the Natural Built & Environments Act 

• Integrating Māori tikanga and iwi in the reform process 

• Practical applications of forthcoming legislation 

• Examining Aoteaora’s climate change response 

• How can the consenting process be improved? 

• Kāinga Ora’s new powers under the Urban Development Act  

Hot Topics: 

• Breaking down the Natural and Built Environment Act bill – Rachel Brooking, Labour List MP and Local Government and Environmental Law Expert 
• Evaluating approaches to fast-track consenting – Kristen Gunnell, Senior Associate, Russell McVeagh 
• Examining the RMA reform from the Court’s perspective – Hon David Kirkpatrick, Chief Environment Court Judge, Environment Court of New Zealand 
• Reviewing updates to the National Environmental Standards & NPS Freshwater Management – Natasha Garvan, Partner, Bell Gully 
• Unpacking the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill – Christina Sheard, Partner, Dentons Kensington Swan 
• Understanding the impact of the Three Waters Reform – Linda O’Reilly, Special Counsel, Tompkins Wake | Jill Gregory, Senior Associate, Tompkins Wake

Date: 30-31 May 2022

Venue: Auckland

Pricing:

• $2,499+GST
• $1,899 + GST – Special pricing for registered Māori Trusts/Local and Central Government

Group Pricing

Buy 2 tickets for the conference & get 1 free. (T&Cs apply)

Super saver pricing ends 14 April 2022

View Agenda:  https://www.brightstar.co.nz/events/environmental-policy-law-reform-0

2 Day Workshop – In person and remote places available

This program combines a comprehensive research foundation with practical exercises to embed evaluation practice in policy practitioners’ and program developers’ work. Essential to evidence-informed policy and critical to any program planning and development. Important to anyone who wants to design good policy.

Delivered by experienced policy professional, Nonie Malone and highly experienced evaluation expert, Marion Norton. Build your competence to plan, commission and execute robust evaluations – essential for robust policy. This workshop shows how to develop meaningful performance measures to check that policy goals are being realised in implementation – often the missing ingredient to success.

Topics Covered:

• Understand the role of evaluation in delivering efficient & effective outcomes for government 
• Know how to plan for and deliver quality evaluation that is fit for purpose and audience
• Know how to influence the authorising environment to ensure quality evaluations can occur
• Understand and know how to select and use evaluation methodologies
• Develop capability in commissioning and managing evaluations 
• Gain and refine program logic skills
• Know how to develop the evidence-base from policy idea to post-program implementation
• Become familiar with the best information available to support your evaluation responsibilities and practice.

Download the PDF Brochure for full course details.

Course Overview

Day One: Fundamental Evaluation Skills 

1. Role of evaluation in policy decision-making

• What is policy – where does it come from?  
• From policy  to program – governments and non-government organisations.
• What determines failure vs success in policy and programs?  
• What is evaluation?
• What do we evaluate and why?
• Role of the policy officer in evaluation  

2.  Evaluation skills for policy and programs

• Applying program theory to uncover what works
• Building outcome chains
• Using program logic as a formative policy analytical tool

3.  Basic evaluation tools

• Creating an evaluation framework to specify what, how and when to evaluate
• Identifying objectives, high-level evaluation questions, what to measure and sources of evidence

4. Scoping evaluation questions and data instruments

• Understanding the purpose of the evaluation
• Identifying perspectives of internal and external stakeholders to inform design and scope
• Involving internal and external stakeholders in evaluation processes
• Identifying and designing data instruments (incl. surveys, interviews, audits)
• Revealing unintended consequences

Day Two: Applied Evaluation Skills for For Policy & Programs 

5. Evaluation design – choosing methodologies

• Designing at the beginning of the policy cycle
• Choosing time and place for different methods
• Applying techniques for formative and summative evaluation
• Demystifying evaluation terms
• Designing at the end of the policy cycle

 6. Evaluation planning, commissioning and governance

• Integrating phases of evaluation with policy development and implementation
• Managing meaningful evaluation with resource constraints
• Incorporating ethical and culturally-appropriate practices
• Securing authority and commitment for conduct and use of evaluation that fulfills its purpose

7. Building credibility through robust analysis and reporting

• Making sense of evaluation data
• Using sound research practices
• Determining cause and effect, and challenging assumptions
• Answering evaluation questions
• Reporting findings to various audiences

8. Open session

• Setting and meeting evaluation requirements for service providers
• Developing competencies and skill building
• Discuss Queensland Program Evaluation guidelines and other practical guidance

2 Day Workshop

Interactive learning for practitioners responsible for writing and implementing the policies and procedures used by organisations, businesses and management committees.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the function of policy for organisations and their oversight bodies
• Identify the policies and procedures needed for your organisation
• Understand the stages of the policy-development process
• Know how to engage approvers, implementers and those affected to test and deliver what is needed and to facilitate approvals by decision-makers
• Know how to write policies and procedures that are clear and concise
• Understand the features of a good organisational system for policy, procedure and guideline development
• Know how to facilitate smooth implementation
• Know how to plan for long-term management and evaluation

Course Overview

Day One:  Planning organisational policy and procedures

1. Policy issues

• What is policy? (From public policy to organisational policy)
• Policies vs procedures
• Policy as smoke screen or aspiration

2.  Organisational policy

• Why do you need policies and procedures?
• What makes policies and procedures work?
• What does good policy look like?
• Your organisation: What do you have? What do you need?
• Managing policy development in a changing organisational environment

3.  Policy approvers, responsible officers and users

• What do policy approvers, responsible officers and users want and need?
• Providing what they need: the briefing note and board paper
• Encouraging engagement and buy-in

4. What does good policy look like?

• Common threads and organisational differences
• Understanding successful policy
• Defining policy scope (and avoiding policy creep)
• Developing a policy framework
• Developing a policy template 

Day Two: Writing and implementing organisational policy and procedures

5. Developing content for policies and procedures

• Research and needs analysis
• Engaging stakeholders
• Consulting across the organisation
• Checklists – friend or foe

 6. Writing for clarity and purpose

• Working with your template
• Achieving the right style and tone
• Writing in plain English
• Writing strategies

7. Implementation and communication

• Achieving sign-off and agreement
• Integrating policy across the organisation
• Encouraging uptake
• Making policies findable and searchable
• Making policy part of everyday business
• Policy as part of workplace induction

8. Evaluation and long-term management

• Guiding and training authors
• Policy coherence and internal consistency
• Registering, revising and reviewing policies
• Evaluating policy and procedures
• Everything you still want to know

In 2022, the New Zealand government will move to refresh its Data Strategy and Roadmap. The next step to this refresh is highlighted at the flagship 4th Annual NZ Gov Data Summit. This summit addresses the key challenges around using data to deliver services, formulate a forward-thinking policy, and make informed decisions to improve the lives of citizens. The information-packed agenda showcases 30+ national and international speakers that share practical strategies to share data and strengthen governments’ policy, service delivery, and open access programs.

2 Day Workshop

In person and remote connection places available

Interactive learning suitable for practitioners at all levels. Learn from experts with years of policy experience at all levels.

Co-author of the highly-acclaimed and longstanding Australia Policy Handbook, Peter Bridgman leads a two-day immersion in policy advice and production. Along with experienced policy professional, Nonie Malone, this is a workshop delivered by practitioners, not academics, and tailored to the work on your desk right now. 

Topics Covered:

• Develop new policy skills and build on your existing skills
• Understand why developing policy advice is hard
• Come away with new tools and frameworks to improve your analysis
• Navigate the complex policy environment
• Distinguish the elements of good policy and learn from policy failure
• Know how to engage stakeholders effectively
• See how policy practitioners lead and manage policy
• Develop confidence in planning and execution for effective implementation and evaluation
• Explore the interface between research, evidence, analysis, implementation and evaluation
• Know how to balance control and flexibility to deal with uncertainty

Course Outline

Day One: Policy in Context

1. Policy Issues
   • What is “public policy” and why is it important?
   • How do issues become policy issues?
   • Prioritising competing policy issues
2. Policy analysis
   • How do we analyse policy issues?
   • Analytical tools and concepts
   • Innovative thinking
3. How to make a difference: policy instruments
   • What tools do we have to make a difference?
   • Which tools are the right ones?
   • Understand legislation: when to use it and when not to use it
4. Policy players
   • Methods for effective stakeholder communication
   • Ministers and Cabinet  / Council
   • The role of the policy analyst
   • Managing up essentials: influential communication and action

Day Two: Policy in Action

1. Coordinating policy action inside government
   • Consultation with other agencies
   • The role and influence of central agencies
2. Policy decision making
   • Policies that make sense to decision makers
   • Framing policy arguments
3. Implementation and evaluation challenges
   • Implementation as success and failure
   • How do we know if our policies achieved the desired result?
4. Integrating policy lessons
   • Essentials for good policy making
   • Dealing with uncertainty and time pressures
   • Project management for policy and programs
   • Managing in: maintaining and upgrading your own and your team’s policy capability

It seems that the New Zealand Government is continuing its digital success stories from recent years, as it reconfigures the COVID-19 pandemic as a learning curve for how to better leverage technology to digitally-enable Government operations and citizen outcomes for the future. Digital innovation in NZ has spread across modernising the cloud-based workplace, increasing agility in response to crises and tackling the digital divide that emerged more so during the pandemic.

These policies form part of NZ’s threefold digital government strategy, which also comprises a strategy for digital public service and a Government digital work programme with trust, inclusion and growth at the forefront. Focused on enhancing citizen literacy, experience, accessibility and connectivity, these efforts continue to drive NZ along the path of innovation and a successful digital transformation journey. Join us at our 2022 FST Government New Zealand conference, as we invite thought leaders from the public sector and tech industry to chart NZ’s ongoing progress towards a unified eGovernment and track its digital innovation pipeline and citizen reception.

Join us where we’ll explore:

• NZ’s post-COVID recovery plan after the release of their ‘Wellbeing Budget’
• The implementation of NZ’s internal and external cloud migration strategies
• Whole-of-government digital transformation
• How digital resources support the Government’s responses to the distinct needs of citizens
• Data governance and privacy mandates
• The future of connectivity in New Zealand
• A next-generation cybersecurity strategy that is adaptive, intuitive and automated

ATTENDANCE IS STRICTLY FOR PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES ONLY