Output Class 2 - Standards & Quality Assurance

This output class includes the regulatory activities for which the Department is responsible. The outputs aim to ensure the regulatory frameworks that create and protect property rights, and protect the public interest in Crown property management, rating valuations and the land information for which LINZ is responsible, are managed effectively and that delivery against the frameworks is quality assured. Specifically, it encompasses regulatory intervention and quality assurance for:

  • the delivery of Crown property management, acquisition and disposal services
  • property valuation for rating purposes, and
  • the collection, authorisation, management and dissemination of information associated with the:
    • land rights registration system
    • geodetic and cadastral survey reference systems
    • topographic and hydrographic information systems, and
    • applications from overseas persons to acquire assets in New Zealand.

There are two outputs in this class:

Output 210 - Standards

Part third party funded

This output includes the development, review and implementation of the regulatory interventions that protect the public interest in the national systems for which LINZ is responsible. In addition, this output involves:

  • the provision of technical advice to the Government and stakeholders
  • statutory delegations for registration and survey functions
  • support to the Valuers Registration Board and the New Zealand Geographic Board
  • support to the electoral system
  • dealing with claims for compensation made under the Land Transfer Act 1952
  • appeals from decisions of delegated staff, and
  • liaison and exchanges of information internationally and with national advisory groups on standards.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE PERFORMANCE
Quantity
New regulatory interventions or amendment to existing interventions required to reflect new government policy, legislation, case law, audit findings, risk analysis and technology changes.

Standard: 10
(Range 5-15)
For the year ended 30 June 2009, 11 new interventions or amendments were actioned.

Standard: Achieved

The following regulatory interventions or amendments occurred:
  • LINZS25007 Darwin Glacier Lambert Conformal 2000 Projection
  • LINZS25002 New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 Projections
  • LINZG25703 Datum and Projection Transformations
  • LINZG25700 New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000
  • LINZG25702 New Zealand Geodetic Datum 2000 Projections
  • LINZG25701 Ross Sea Region Geodetic Datum 2000
  • LINZG20715 Te Roroa Treaty Settlement
  • LINZG20714 Frequently asked questions about the standard LINZS2002 Verification of identity for regulation under the land Transfer Act 1952
  • LINZG30701 Summary of the main differences between the Rating Valuation Rules version 3.1 and the Rating Valuation Rules 2008
  • NZGBS60000 Interim standard for under sea feature names, and
  • NZGBS60001 Interim standard for Crown protected area names.
Quality
All new and reviewed regulatory interventions will be in accordance with the LINZ risk-based standards development framework.

Standard: 100%

All interventions were developed within the framework.

Standard: Achieved

All regulatory interventions will be peered reviewed (including expert committee for standards) and signed off by the responsible regulator.

Standard: 100%

All interventions were peer reviewed and signed off by the regulator.

Standard: Achieved

TIMELINESS
All regulatory interventions will be developed, reviewed and implemented in accordance with the timeframes specified in the annual business plan.

Standard: 100%

In accordance with the business plan, 66% of the regulatory intervention programme was completed.

Standard: Not achieved

Comment: Insufficient staff and dollar resources were available to complete all of standards programme in 2008/09. Reprioritisation and timeline adjustment agreed with Chief Executive and the new timeline for this work is for completion by 30 November 2009.

A further 12 interventions are at public consultation stage and being readied for publication, (80% will be published by 31 August 2009 and 100% by 30 November 2009).

Output 220 – Quality Assurance

Part third party funded

This output involves making statutory decisions and recommendations regarding overseas investment in New Zealand, and the ongoing monitoring and auditing of compliance to ensure standards are met.

PERFORMANCE MEASURE PERFORMANCE
Quantity
Overseas investment applications processed and decisions or recommendations made.

Standard: 275 (est)
(Range 250–300)
188 applications processed and decisions or recommendations made.

Standard: Not achieved

Comment: The total number of applications received for the year ended 30 June 2009 is less than previous years due to the impact of the global economic recession. No remedial action is required as the Overseas Investment Office has no influence over the numbers of applications filed.
Annual quality assurance plan completed for each regulator.

Standard: 3
Three quality assurance plans covering all regulatory areas were completed.

Standard: Achieved
Audit programmes completed in all regulatory areas.

Standard: 9
For the three regulatory areas, seven audit programmes were completed:

Registrar-General of Land
  • e-dealing compliance reviews,
  • audit of law firms,
  • audit of processing centres, and
  • Landonline maintenance and security review.
Cadastral Survey
  • audit of survey firms, and
  • audit of processing centres.
Geodetic Survey
  • survey work.
Crown Commissioner of Land
  • pastoral activity decision-making.
Crown Property
  • monitoring of accredited suppliers.
Valuation
  • revaluation and objection audits, and
  • process and control audits.
Electoral
  • electoral maintenance, and
  • index to streets and places.

Standard: Not achieved

Comment: It was agreed the hydrography, topography and the Geographic Board regulatory areas were not required to complete audits. This decision was based on previous audit coverage.
Quality
% of Overseas Investment Office recommendations to Ministers accepted without amendment.

Standard: 95%
98% of the recommendations to the Ministers were accepted without amendment.

Standard: Achieved
The annual quality assurance plans will include:
  • areas identified by 'high risk area' reports
  • follow-up of previous audit recommendations, and
  • relevant standards to be complied with.
All audits conducted under these programmes will meet the criteria specified in the terms of reference for each audit.

Standard: 100%
All quality assurance plans incorporated:
  • risks to the achievement of the regulators’ objectives
  • all recommendations from audits completed between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2008, and
  • all audits were linked to compliance with regulatory standards.
All audits undertaken met the criteria as specified in the terms of reference.

Standard: Achieved
Timeliness
All correspondence from overseas investment applicants responded to.

Standard: 90% within five working days of receipt of application or subsequent information.
Comment: Since 1 October 2008, all applications are checked on receipt and either accepted for registration (if the application is of acceptable quality) or rejected for unacceptable quality. 96.77% of all applications were checked for quality within five working days of receipt of the application and the applicants notified within that time.

No statistics are held on the timeframes within which further information is responded to as the receipt of information may not warrant a response (for example when requested information comes in tranches). For that reason, the OIO now measures the total time the registered application has been with the OIO.
All delegated decisions made by the Overseas Investment Office.

Standard: 90% within 10 working days of receipt of all information.

New measure:

By July 2009, 90% of accepted applications will be processed within 50 working days.
Measure changed and agreed by Minister that as from 30 September 2008, the old measure will no longer be recorded.




85% of accepted applications were processed within 50 working days.

Standard: Not achieved

Comment: The Overseas Investment Office has increased application processing staffing levels to deal with historical backlogs and processing delays. Staff training is still underway and processing times should gradually reduce as staff gain on the job experience. In addition, planned enhancements to the OIO's information management system application and database, which went live in August 2008, will produce further efficiencies.
All timeframes specified in the annual business plan will be met.

Standard: 100%
The timeframes as specified in the Business and Regulatory Assurance annual business plan were met.

Standard: Achieved
All audits conducted under these programmes will meet the timeframes specified in the terms of reference for each audit.

Standard: 100%
Three of the seven audits undertaken missed the draft report timeframe as stated in the terms of reference.

Standard: Not achieved (47%)

Comment: All audits were undertaken within the specified timeframes as stated in the terms of reference. The only component missed in the completion of these audits was the drafting of the auditor's report which was 2-3 days outside the terms of reference.

Financial performance

Output Class 2 - Standards & Quality Assurance

Actual
2008
$000
  Actual
2009
$000
Voted
2009
$000
Net surplus/(deficit) (1,625) (1,687)
4,488 Revenue Crown 4,023 3,779
5,397 Revenue other 1,653 1,876
9,885 Total revenue 5,676 5,655
9,885 Total expenses 7,301 7,342

*Output Class 8 - New Zealand Geographic Board

Actual
2008
$000
  Actual
2009
$000
Voted
2009
$000
Net surplus/(deficit) (14)
Revenue Crown 545 634
Revenue other 1
Total revenue 546 634
Total expenses 560 634

*Output Class 9 - Overseas Investment Office

Actual
2008
$000
  Actual
2009
$000
Voted
2009
$000
Net surplus/(deficit) (1,384) (1,508)
Revenue other 1,080 1,119
Total revenue 1,080 1,119
Total expenses 2,464 2,627

* The output classes 8 and 9 were created during the 2008/09 financial year. All related performance information has been reported under output class 2. For the 2009/10 financial year, output classes 8 and 9 have been separated out into their respective outputs and this action is indicated in the Output Plan 2009/10.