This has been another successful year for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, resulting in a high degree of productivity from a relatively small organisation. The level and standard of work achieved is a reflection of the expertise and professionalism of the people who carry out the work of the Ministry.
Many organisations are involved in the culture and heritage sector, from the grass-roots community level through to government departments such as ourselves. All have roles to play in representing the diverse strands which make up our society, in telling our stories to each other and the world, and in defining a creative, dynamic and unique New Zealand.
The Ministry's role is to support the government's participation in culture and heritage by providing advice and services to Ministers, by implementing a range of initiatives including history and heritage programmes, and by monitoring the work of agencies that are delivering culture and heritage programmes with the help of government funding.
The government has placed emphasis on cultural and heritage activities, and it sees a number of desired outcomes arising from a strong sense of our culture and heritage. Knowing and valuing our diverse cultural heritage helps us to build strong cohesive communities, and assists us as a country to define our place in the world as a unique, dynamic and creative nation. Culture and heritage encourages economic growth by developing our creative talent and our cultural industries. And by examining our past, we can understand why we are the way we are, and gain insights into what our country might become.
Our work, therefore, takes us right across the spectrum of our sector and into a broad range of activities with varying objectives and impacts. Culture and heritage activities provide more than just pleasure and enjoyment - they employ people, generate income, add value, boost GDP and export earnings, encourage tourism, support innovation, stimulate discussion, and so the list goes on.
To enable the Ministry to focus on its strategic direction, we established three specific outcomes in our 2003 Statement of Intent by which all our work would be measured. In formulating these outcomes we had to consider this diverse environment we operate in, the needs of the government in terms of its desired culture and heritage outcomes, and our roles and responsibilities.
What we are striving to achieve is
The main body of this report is structured around these outcomes, to show how we have translated these high-level outcomes into our day-to-day work.
Working with such a wide and varied focus, the key to success is the ability to build and sustain effective relationships. The Ministry is committed to fostering quality connections with stakeholders which result in positive outcomes for all concerned.
I believe the achievements the Ministry has made this year have been dependent on collaboration and partnership with other organisations, supported by strong, effective relationships. Thanks must go to the capable and committed people of the Ministry, as well as to all those we have worked with over the year. With this collaborative spirit we will be able to advance culture and heritage interests confidently in the coming years.
Martin Matthews
Chief Executive
