Managing risk in a challenging environment
We operate in a complex and changing environment that provides opportunities and challenges in maintaining and improving services to New Zealanders while managing known and emerging risks.
Our Risk and Assurance team supports the Leadership Team by:
- overseeing the process for managing organisation-wide risks
- maintaining our organisational relationship with Audit New Zealand and the Office of the Auditor General
- helping business groups identify risks
- providing independent advice that enhances our organisational risk management and assurance capability
Independent Risk and Audit Committee
Our Risk and Audit Committee provides independent advice on risk, internal controls and assurance matters. The Committee’s advisory role provides an alternative perspective on risk management and internal controls, internal assurance, external audit, financial and performance matters, and governance frameworks and processes. The external perspective provided by the Committee is of critical importance to the Ministry.
The Committee met five times during 2018/19 and comprised the following independent external members:
- Kristy McDonald QC (Chair)
- Linda Robertson [47]
- Ian Fitzgerald
- David Smol.
The Committee provided advice and assurance on the following key areas of our work:
- health, safety and security
- ICT security
- internal and external fraud
- risk management frameworks
- financial reporting
- shared corporate services
- legislative compliance.
In addition to the key areas of our work, the Committee had oversight of several particular matters, including:
- an external report on our workplace harassment/bullying policy [48]
- our baseline review, which was conducted jointly by ourselves and the Treasury
- the welfare system overhaul.
Footnotes
[47] Linda Robertson’s term on the Committee expired on 30 June 2019. A process for appointing a replacement member is currently under way
[48] We introduced a new Positive Workplace Behaviours Policy in September 2019.
