I work in…

central or local government

Working in government

If you work inside a central government agency, we want to help you understand where you fit in the machinery of government. And we want you to have a sense of how your work contributes to the big picture of government.

We think that understanding the machinery of government is crucial to being an effective public servant.

Alternatively, if you work in local government, having a sound understanding of central government can be a real asset, especially when it comes to forging good relationships between councils and public sector agencies.

We have three learning options outlined below. Just choose the option that suits you best. Or get in touch if you’d like some further info.

Learning options

(1) On-demand course

The Insider’s Guide to NZ government has developed quite the reputation in Wellington. It’s become the go-to course to get your head around how government works.

While some people like to do it as a Teams course (see below), some people prefer the flexibility of doing it as an on-demand course. The content is the same either way.

The on-demand version of the course is divided into 5 sessions of roughly 1 hour each. The sessions are engaging, there are quizzes, FAQs and follow-up resources for each session. You can register and start the course whenever you like.

How it works

The fee is $450 + gst per person. Agencies can also buy bundles of licences at a reduced fee (get in contact and we’ll get you pricing info).

Once you register, you’ll receive automatic email access to the 5 sessions that make up the course. And away you go. People can access the sessions through any browser, whether they’re at home, in the office or, hopefully, on the embankment at the Basin Reserve.

Course content

The course is great for anyone new to government (or thinking about it), or if you’ve recently changed roles and need a deeper understanding of the machinery of government.

And even if you’re a seasoned veteran of the public sector, you may never have had the chance to see how all the different pieces of government fit together.

The 5 sessions cover:

  • the three branches of government

  • what Ministers do, and how they’re given areas of government to run (portfolios)

  • how Cabinet makes big policy decisions (plus you’ll know what ‘Cabinet’ actually is!)

  • the role of Parliament in holding ministers and government agencies to account for performance

  • the MMP electoral system and how governments are formed

  • what the ‘public sector’ looks like

  • how crucial public sector officials are in helping ministers achieve good outcomes

  • “It was a very useful and well-presented course. Helped me to understand different structures of the government and how they work.”

    Financial Markets Authority learner

  • “I thoroughly enjoyed this on-demand course. At least now when I watch the news I can actually understand what's going on, and identify who is who and what role they're playing."

    WorkSafe NZ learner

  • “A wonderful insight in how the government works.”

    Ministry of Health learner

  • “Really awesome learning, easy to understand and extremely useful when new to the public sector. Thank you.”

    Te Puni Kōkiri learner

  • "So well put together and understandable. Recommend to anyone looking to really understand the high level components of the NZ Government."

    Te Arawhiti learner

(2) Teams courses

Our Teams courses are fun and engaging. They’ll help you understand different aspects of government and give you more confidence in your day-to-day work.

Because they’re run through Teams you can attend whether you’re in a Wellington office, a regional office, or WFH. Each course is divided into two half-days (run back-to-back). Our experience is that half a day is just the right amount of time for online learning.

In-house

Our Teams courses can be run in-house for government agencies. Feel free to contact us to discuss. (We can also run these courses in-person if that works best for your group)

Anyone can attend

Throughout the year we also run Teams courses that people from different agencies can attend. Anyone is welcome! Details below.

  • This is our most popular course. It provides a great introduction to New Zealand government. It’s ideal for people who are new to working in the public sector, as well as those seeking a refresher to help fill in some missing pieces. It includes a full tour of Parliament and watching Question Time.

    Topics discussed include:

    • the three branches of government

    • what Ministers do, and how they're given areas of government to run (portfolios)

    • how Cabinet makes big policy decisions (plus you’ll know what ‘Cabinet’ actually is!)

    • the role of Parliament in holding ministers and government agencies to account for performance

    • the MMP electoral system and how governments are formed

    • what the ‘public sector’ looks like

    • how crucial public sector officials are in helping ministers achieve good outcomes

    You can do this course:

    - Anyone can attend, $790 + gst per person: Our March 2025 course is fully booked.

    - Anyone can attend, $790 + gst per person:

    • 12 August 2025, 9.30am-1.30pm (Teams course, Part 1)

    • 13 August 2025, 9.30am-1.30pm (Teams course, Part 2)

    • 14 August 2025, 12.45pm-3.00pm, Tour of Parliament and Question Time (please note: this is an optional part of the course for people based in Wellington).

    - In-house, contact us for more info

  • This course takes people through the whole policy and law-making process. From beginning to end. Ambitious, but extremely useful.

    The beauty of this course is that you’ll get a complete overview of the policy advice, Cabinet and Parliament process.

    Too often people have to rely on bits of knowledge they pick up on an ad hoc basis, but they never get to see the ‘big picture’. This workshop will fast-track your learning and give you a springboard to further your knowledge in these key areas.

    Available as an in-house course only - contact us to discuss.

  • Managing OIA requests can be difficult and time-consuming, particularly when you’re juggling your business as usual.

    Yet most people working in the public sector who deal with requests have never had proper training in the Act. 

    Our course allows you to get to grips with the Act’s key principles and processes. After the course, you’ll find you have more confidence when working with broad requests, understanding the withholding grounds, and managing timeframes.

    You can do this course:

    - Anyone can attend: 30 and 31 July 2025, 9.30am-1.30pm each day (you need to attend both days), $790 + gst

    - In-house, contact us for more info

(3) eLearning modules

Our short eLearning modules are great for people working inside central or local government agencies.

The modules are of an introductory nature and are suited to anyone working in the wider public sector. They’re fantastic as part of induction for new staff, those looking to upskill in the machinery of government, and people looking for a refresher.

People can do the modules anywhere, anytime. We have 3 modules currently available, with more to come.

Agency licence

A government agency can purchase an ‘agency licence’ for a module. An agency licence allows unlimited access for all staff and contractors to the module. This allows the agency to lift its understanding of the machinery of government right across the organisation.

A module sits on the agency’s Learning Management System (LMS). If an agency doesn’t have an LMS in place, we can host the module securely for them.

Feel free to contact us for pricing and more info.

Individual user licence

You can also complete any of the modules by registering for an individual licence.

An individual licence allows one user to access the module for 3 months from the date of purchase.

  • This is the perfect starter module. It will help you make sense of what government looks like.

    You’ll learn all about:

    • The King and Governor-General

    • Separation of powers

    • the way the Executive (i.e. ministers and public sector agencies) run the country

    • how Parliament scrutinises the performance of the Executive

    • the role the Judiciary plays in applying laws

    • the place of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi in government

    • Political neutrality

    (approx. 60 mins, individual licence fee $189 + gst)

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    “I learnt more in this module than in several years of school, awesome mahi guys, thank you.” - Kāinga Ora learner

    “Really thorough and informative. Communicates information about the structure of our government in a really effective way so it's easy to understand!” - Ministry of Justice learner

    “Great resource! Thanks. I've been looking for something like this for a while, so I am glad to access it through my workplace now.” - Ministry of Health learner

  • This module builds on the concepts discussed in The Big Picture so that you can really get to grips with how government works.

    Part 1 of the module explores:

    • the role of the Prime Minister

    • portfolios

    • how ministers make policy decisions at Cabinet and Cabinet committees

    • ministers inside and outside Cabinet

    Part 2 of the module explains the main three types of government agencies: Departments, Crown entities and State-owned enterprises. Understanding these differences will be a big help when you come to collaborate with other government agencies.

    (approx. 90 mins, individual licence fee $209 + gst)

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    “This is information every kiwi should know. I am a highly educated person and I only knew this information in a peripheral way, very piece-meal. Very enjoyable module, thank you!” - Te Puni Kōkiri learner

    “The mixed approach to learning kept me interested and engaged throughout, I really enjoyed learning about the governmental agencies.” - MBIE learner

    “This is material, that presented incorrectly, could be extremely dry and uninteresting. I think your presentation here did a lot right to keep things simple, digestible, and entertaining.” - Stats NZ learner

  • This engaging module will be your best friend when it comes to learning how to do an OIA.

    It takes you through the key requirements of the Act and best-practice tips so that you can make really good OIA decisions.

    Great for people new to the OIA, and for people who have already done a few requests but haven’t received any formal training in the Act.

    The module takes you through:

    • the principle of availability of information

    • eligibility to make a request

    • broad requests (fishing expeditions)

    • transfers, timeframes and consultation

    • in-scope vs. out-of-scope

    • section 6, 9 and 18 withholding grounds

    • the Ombudsman as the OIA referee

    (approx. 90 mins, individual licence fee $209 + gst)

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    “My team get a lot of OIAs so this was extremely helpful.” - Te Puni Kōkiri learner

    “Clear, easy to understand had the right amount of humour but not so much as to turn the module into fluff.” - NZQA learner

    “I loved the humour and variety of how the content was served up. And the resources. Top marks for plain language too.”- Te Arawhiti learner