Outcomes for Land Management and Land Information

Managing for outcomes - How we deliver results

To fulfil our role of ensuring trusted land information and the best use of Crown assets, LINZ has adopted effective management and governance processes.

LINZ has worked to an outcomes framework that establishes:

• what we want to achieve
• the activities and initiatives that will contribute to these results, and
• the capability required to deliver those services now and in the future.

We use performance measures to gauge progress towards our outcomes and to make informed decisions about allocating resources to areas of greatest value. We also acknowledge the value and contribution other agencies make towards these outcomes, and actively engage and work collaboratively with them to achieve these results.

Our outcomes framework as set out in our 2007/08 Statement of Intent is illustrated in the diagram below.

End outcomes - The results New Zealand can expect from our work

LINZ aims to ensure:

• certainty of New Zealand's property rights and interests
• availability of land information:
  • to enable the New Zealand economy to function effectively, and
  • to provide safety and security for New Zealanders, and
• the best use of Crown assets.

We acknowledge that we are not the only contributor to these end outcomes. LINZ works in co-operation with other government agencies to improve on what each might individually be able to contribute.

Certainty of New Zealand's property rights and interests

"Certainty" means that New Zealand property rights and interests are able to be determined practically and with an appropriate level of confidence.

Availability of land information

As well as collecting and maintaining land information, LINZ is responsible for making it available for use by other agencies such as emergency services and the New Zealand Defence Force.

In a knowledge economy, the availability of information that can be trusted, understood and aggregated improves decision-making, reduces waste, lowers risk, and provides greater certainty. Government plays a significant role because the market cannot always generate or provide the necessary information.

Best use of Crown assets

All government agencies work to ensure that Crown assets are put to their best use. For LINZ, however, this is an end outcome because of our central role in managing Crown land and property.

Intermediate outcomes - Key steps towards delivering these results

LINZ has three intermediate outcomes that will help us achieve the end outcomes listed above:

• an effective system for defining and transacting land
• convenient access to integrated land information, and
• effective and efficient management of Crown land and liabilities.

An effective system for defining and transacting land

This helps provide "certainty of New Zealand's property rights and interests". There are three components to this.

Firstly, LINZ is responsible for the regulatory framework that is used to define land by survey, giving definition of property rights in terms of legal authority and the physical extent of rights on the ground.

Secondly, as part of the regulatory framework, LINZ maintains the land titles registry, Landonline.

Thirdly, LINZ provides advice to ministers, and makes decisions under delegated authority on applications from overseas people and organisations wanting to invest in land and other assets in New Zealand.

Convenient access to integrated land information

This helps New Zealanders make better decisions about such things as:

• future land use, particularly resource management
• land investments, and
• where they can go to enjoy recreational activities.

Effective and efficient management of Crown land and liabilities

This helps ensure the "best use of Crown assets".

LINZ regulates the management and disposal of the Crown's interest in land and property in accordance with the Public Works Act 1981 and the Land Act 1948. When government agencies buy and sell property, LINZ is responsible for the legislation that enables the transaction to take place (if and when necessary), and ensures that robust statutory decisions are made, and that statutory requirements are complied with, in a consistent manner.

We are also responsible for managing Crown land and property on the Crown's balance sheet in accordance with the regulatory framework. We control pests, plants and animals on this land and on Crown-owned river beds and lake beds.

The land we manage ranges from large pastoral leases, to forests held in trust for Treaty of Waitangi settlements, to small plots of land. We sometimes inherit land contaminated by previous owners and occupiers.

The diversity of our land portfolio means we must manage land in a manner that is appropriate to its type. For example, through the Tenure Review process we work to:

• achieve the Government's ten objectives for the South Island high country⁴
• promote the ecologically sustainable management of high country land
• protect land with significant inherent values by retaining it in Crown ownership
• make it easier for the public to access high country land, and
• make it easier for leaseholders to freehold high country land not retained by the Crown.

In managing Crown land effectively and efficiently, LINZ is protecting New Zealanders' interests by ensuring that this land is put to best use. (This is the best use given the Government's desired economic, social and environmental outcomes.)

In this context, effective and efficient management means:

• protecting landowners' rights when the Crown disposes of land
• acquiring land for the Crown for a good reason
• ensuring landowners are fully aware of their rights and have the opportunity to negotiate on a reasonable and equal footing
• keeping land management costs as low as possible
• being a responsible landowner, landlord and neighbour
• protecting the Crown's interest by complying with laws and regulations affecting Crown land, and
• keeping accurate records of the land LINZ holds.

Our outcomes framework

	GOVERNMENT THEMES
		Economic transformation			National identity
	END OUTCOMES
		Certainty of property rights		Availability of land information		Best use of Crown assets
	INTERMEDIATE OUTCOMES
		An effective system for defining and transacting land		Convenient access to integrated land information		Effective and efficient management of Crown land and liabilities
	STRATEGIC GOALS
		Land market leadership	Optimal regulation	e-delivery excellence			Expert property management
		Land and geospatial policy advice	Standards and quality assurance	Land and seabed data capture and processing	Land and seabed info storage and management	Land and seabed info access and dissemination	Crown property management and disposal services
		Evaluation and monitoring performance management				Learning and growth feedback and innovation
	CAPABILITY
		Human resource capability Information technology Knowledge management Responsiveness to Māori			Budgeting and planning Risk and assurance Good governance

The 'Our outcomes framework' diagram is also available in a printable version (pdf 52KB).

Our strategy and planning framework - Linking our work to the Government's themes and LINZ's outcomes

Our strategic direction and planning for 2007/08 began with our vision. This vision has represented our over-arching aim to create value by providing land information that uses electronic channels to optimise the collection, availability and usability of governmentowned land information, and to be a centre of e-delivery excellence. To help us achieve this vision, LINZ developed strategic goals:

Land market leadership – private and public agencies understand LINZ's role in the land market and use our expertise.

Optimal intervention – an outcome focus that moves the industry towards self-regulation as far as possible given the level of risk.

e-delivery excellence – LINZ's primary customers exclusively use electronic channels, consistent with the e-government strategy.

Expert property management – property management that balances economic, social and environmental outcomes.

These four goals have been fundamental to LINZ acting as a strategically focused organisation and have underpinned our planning and reporting processes for 2007/08.

Demonstrating our progress towards outcomes

In the 2007/08 Statement of Intent, we signalled our intention to review and assess the environment within which LINZ operates to determine what this means for our future. During the past financial year, we have applied a framework for:

• describing the value we currently deliver, and
• identifying the value we must deliver in the future to meet the needs and expectations of New Zealanders.

This work has confirmed the importance of providing accurate and trustworthy land information and effectively managing Crown land, which remain LINZ’s core business. We aim to build on that trusted position and identify new opportunities for land information to contribute further to economic and social outcomes. In the 2008/09 Statement of Intent, we stated our amended purpose and included a new outcome.

4 See http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/objectives+south+island+high+country.