19899 version 2

Page 1 of 4

Describe the roles of central agencies and legislation that impact on the State sector

Level / 4
Credits / 3

PurposePeople credited with this unit standard will be able to: describe the role of central agencies; explain the State Sector Act 1988 with reference to the State sector; and explain the Human Rights Act 1993 and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 with reference to the State sector.

Subfield / Public Sector Services
Domain / Public Sector Core Skills
Status / Registered
Status date / 25 January 2008
Date version published / 25 January 2008
Planned review date / 31 December 2012
Entry information / Open.
Replacement information / This unit standard replaced unit standard 14941.
Accreditation / Evaluation of documentation and visit by NZQA and industry.
Standard setting body (SSB) / The Skills Organisation
Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP) reference / 0121

This AMAP can be accessed at

Special notes

1This unit standard is intended for persons who are, or who intend to be, employed in the New ZealandState sector.

2Resource

The main resource for this unit standard is information available from the State Services Commission website

3Definitions

Central agency refers to the State Services Commission, Treasury, and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in their coordinating roles. The central agencies act as the ‘corporate office’ of the Government.

Conventions, in the context of this unit standard, refer to widely accepted understandings that guide conduct and relationships in the New ZealandState sector – either explicit or implicit; for example, the neutrality of the public service.

Practice, in the context of this unit standard, refers to the usual way the work of the New ZealandState sector is conducted, which is borne out by experience; for example, public servants should not become involved in party political affairs.

Principles, in the context of this unit standard, refer to socially recognised core ethical values, rules, and/or standards that are expected of public servants in carrying out their duties; for example, the principles of justice and equity.

Public sector refers to the State sector (central government), including the public service, crown entities, non-uniformed staffs of the services and forces, Offices of Parliament; and all local authorities (local government), including local authority trading enterprises (LATEs).

Public Service refers to the departments of State that carry out core government business and are listed in the First Schedule to the State Sector Act 1988.

State sector refers to all organisations that are included in the ‘Government reporting entity’ and are referred to in s27(3) of the Public Finance Act 1989, namely: Public Service departments; other organisations defined as departments for the purposes of the Public Finance Act 1989; Offices of Parliament (eg the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment); State owned enterprises; Crown entities; the Reserve Bank of New Zealand; and a range of other organisations listed in the Fourth Schedule to the Public Finance Act 1989.

State Services refers to a broad range of organisations that serve as instruments of the Crown in respect of the Government of New Zealand. They consist of all Public Service departments; other departments that are not part of the Public Service; all Crown entities (except tertiary education institutions); a variety of organisations included in the Government’s annual financial statements by virtue of being listed on the fourth Schedule of the Public Finance Act 1989; and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.

4Further information about terms used in this unit standard may be found in the State Services glossary available at

5Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes: State Sector Act 1988; New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 and; Human Rights Act 1993.

6This unit standard does not cover the Official Information Act 1982, Privacy Act 1993, or Public Records Act 2005, which are the subject of Unit 19906, Describe information and privacy legislation in relation to the State sector.

Elements and performance criteria

Element 1

Describe the role of central agencies.

Performance criteria

1.1The description details the role of the State Services Commission.

1.2The description details the role of the Treasury.

1.3The description details the role of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

1.4The description details the inter-relationship between the three central agencies.

Element 2

Explain the State Sector Act 1988 with reference to the State sector.

Performance criteria

2.1The explanation identifies and outlines the main purpose(s) of the Act.

2.2The explanation identifies the characteristics of agencies covered by the Act.

2.3The explanation identifies and outlines key provisions of the Act that impact upon the Public Service and wider State Services.

Rangeexamples may include but are not limited to - duties, functions, and powers of the State Services Commission, equal employment opportunities, common personnel provisions.

2.4The explanation identifies and outlines responsibilities of Chief Executives and senior management of the Public Service as set out in the Act.

2.5The explanation describes the significance of the Act for government.

Rangeexamples may include but are not limited to - State sector accountability defined, basis of public administration established, relationship between New Zealand public service and government defined, standards for personnel management set out;

evidence of three examples is required.

2.6The explanation identifies the relevance of the State Sector Act to the organisation within which the individual is employed.

Element 3

Explain the Human Rights Act 1993 and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 with reference to the State sector.

Performance criteria

3.1The explanation identifies and outlines the main purposes of the Acts.

3.2The explanation describes the significance of both of the Acts to government.

Rangeexamples may include but are not limited to - civil and political rights of the individual citizen, freedom from discrimination, due process of law, fairness, respect for individual human rights;

evidence of three examples is required.

Please note

Providers must be accredited by NZQA, or an inter-institutional body with delegated authority for quality assurance, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.

Industry Training Organisations must be accredited by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.

Accredited providers and Industry Training Organisations assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.

Accreditation requirements and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Accreditation and Moderation Action Plan (AMAP). The AMAP also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.

Comments on this unit standard

Please contact The Skills Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.

 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018