24. Each of these elements has prescribed information requirements and strict limitations on length. These rules seek to ensure that the material put before the Cabinet is concise, substantiated by facts, realistic about risks and argued within the framework of the Government’s strategic policy agenda.
25. Templates for Cabinet submissions and Cabinet memoranda are available via CabNet+. Cabinet Division is able to provide direction and assistance on how to structure the submission.
26. If necessary, other essential supporting factual information (including New Policy Proposals, impact statements, presentations and draft media releases) can be attached to a submission.
27. Implementation plans must be attached to Cabinet submissions and all major program proposals if there are significant implementation challenges associated with the proposal.
28. It is open to the sponsoring minister(s) or department(s) to request that certain documents relevant to a submission not be distributed via CabNet+. This may occur due to the size or nature of these documents (e.g. a lengthy business case for an ICT project). These documents become 'supporting documents' and access is only provided upon request to Cabinet Division. Supporting documents remain Cabinet documents and must be handled accordingly.
Submission consultation processes
29. Good policy outcomes require informed decisions by ministers. Informed decisions require agreement on facts and an understanding of the opinions of those who have expertise in the subject matter. During the development of submissions ministers and departments will need to balance the benefits of broad consultation with adherence to the need‐to‐know principle, so that the confidentiality of the Cabinet's considerations is protected.
30. The mandatory consultation processes for submissions outlined below relate to the consultation that occurs between ministers (and their departments) prior to Cabinet consideration.
31. Ministers are responsible for ensuring that these consultation processes are adhered to by their departments and offices.
32. The first step is for the authoring department(s) to identify ministers, departments (and agencies) with an interest in the policy area(s) under discussion in the submission.
33. As far as possible, consultation with these interested ministers and departments should ensure that differences between ministers on a proposed approach are resolved in advance of the Cabinet's consideration or, if this is not possible, differences are identified and set out in a way that will facilitate informed decision‐making.
34. It is particularly important that there is agreement regarding factual matters (that is, matters that are not open to interpretation or differences of opinion), including costs, which will form the basis of Cabinet discussions. The Cabinet Secretary will not authorise distribution of submissions or memorandums to ministers where there is a disagreement about facts. Departments must consult Finance on whether there are any financial implications and any costs must be explicitly agreed by Finance (or Treasury in the case of revenue matters).
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