Free desk guides for the New Zealand public service

Official Information Act flow chart and guide

This flow chart sets out, in an easy-to-follow manner, the various steps in managing requests under the Official Information Act. It sets out some of the issues to consider at each step and outlines the provisions under which information may be withheld, while emphasising that the overarching principle of the Act is that information should be released unless there is a good reason for withholding it.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

Privacy Act flow chart and guide

This flow chart similarly sets out the key steps in managing requests under the Privacy Act, and provides advice on the various legislative provisions governing access to personal information.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

Contracting in the Public Sector

This guide provides a simple summary of issues to consider during the selection of a provider and the awarding, monitoring and evaluation of contracts with non-government providers. It also advises where to go to obtain detailed guidance on a range of contracting-related issues.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

Assessing evidence for use in policy development

This is a quick reference guide to assessing published literature and grey literature, focussing on key questions to ask when assessing the quality and fitness for the purpose of documents. It will be useful to all those undertaking literature reviews and developing policy papers that draw on research in justifying a particular policy intervention or suite of interventions.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

A quick guide to public consultation

This guide discusses when consultation is required, what consultation should entail and the key steps for effective consultation.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

A desk-based guide to conducting social impact assessments

This guide describes what social impact assessment is, why and when it is needed and how to conduct an SIA.  This is the first of our guides to include a double page spread, which has enabled us to provide a little more detail than is usual: in this case on the various stages of SIA.

Allen & Clarke's desk guide on this subject can be downloaded here.

A desk-based guide to evaluation

This is a useful basic guide for policymakers considering undertaking an evaluation. This guide describes what evaluation is, why and when it is needed and what can be evaluated. It also sets out principles of good evaluation, gives advice on choosing the appropriate evaluation methodology, and describes programme logic.

Note: Allen & Clarke offers training on all the areas discussed above, as well as on a range of other machinery of government matters.

If you would like to receive free printed copies of any of these guides, please contact us at: office@allenandclarke.co.nz