New Zealand is unlike any other country in the world, a small country at the bottom of the globe. We are a dynamic and creative nation working with both the advantages and disadvantages that size and distance bring. Our unique culture contributes to the way we see ourselves at home, as well as to the way the rest of the world sees us. A strong national identity helps New Zealanders to find and share their place in their own communities and to command a place in the world.
Communities are as diverse as the people in them, and they continue to evolve as the country grows and develops. An informed understanding of our culture and heritage, of the different strands and layers of our history, goes towards building strong communities. When people are confident in their own sense of history and heritage, and respectful and tolerant of others’, communities can work together to enhance their own well-being for the good of the country as a whole.
Culture has an intrinsic value which is hard to pin down but essential to us all. Cultural activities provide experiences that are satisfying and rewarding in themselves and that directly enrich our quality of life. They provide means of self expression which reflect our lives and give us a way of understanding the experiences of others. Cultural interactions offer us insights which can help us to challenge assumptions, evolve our thinking and re-examine our history and our society.
The development of our creative talent and our cultural industries play an important part in enhancing economic growth. Cultural activities provide more than just pleasure and enjoyment – they employ people, generate income, add value, boost GDP and export earnings, encourage tourism, support innovation and raise our profile in international markets.
The government’s desired outcomes will be achieved only if the activities it supports are selected judiciously. In an environment that is constantly changing – both domestically and internationally – government policy must be responsive to remain effective.
The Ministry plays a key role in supporting the government by ensuring that the agencies and programmes for culture and heritage represent the ‘right’ interventions, and provide value for money.
The Ministry’s advice to government is informed by its recognition that all New Zealanders must have opportunities to engage with cultural and heritage activities.
The Ministry also has a role in guiding other agencies to ensure that their programmes and services are widely available, and is directly responsible for a number of history and heritage-related activities which provide insights into our past.
The Ministry, through its involvement in the wider system of government, has an important role in helping ensure that a cultural and heritage perspective is reflected in other areas of government activity.
This strengthens the effectiveness of these activities, and ensures that they are aligned with the government’s cultural and heritage aspirations.
In our 2004 Statement of Intent we said our key strategies and priorities to support the achievement of the Ministry’s outcomes would be:
Institutionalising understanding of the contribution of culture to achieving wider government outcomes. Presenting a cultural perspective to other government activities.
Developing a deeper understanding of the range of options available to inform government’s strategic decisions about its involvement in the cultural sector.
Implementing major projects agreed with government. Enhancing service delivery to Ministers, and to other users of the Ministry’s work.
Building governance capability in agencies supported by the Ministry.
Improving communications to and from stakeholders. Building the confidence of Māori in the work of the Ministry.
