Public sector

Expert government training for the public sector

We help central government professionals understand exactly how their role fits into the wider system. This context builds confidence and strengthens collaborative relationships across the public sector.

We offer two ways to navigate the machinery of government:

  • Team training: Interactive group workshops delivered in-person or via MS Teams (view workshops)

  • Individual training: Online courses you can start immediately (view online courses)

Group workshops

Facilitated by Dr Ryan Malone, our group workshops provide a highly engaging learning experience for your team.

Delivery is flexible: choose a full-day face-to-face workshop at your premises, or two half-day sessions via MS Teams. The content and interaction are the same regardless of the format.

Choose from three workshops.

(1) The Insider’s Guide to NZ Government

The definitive introduction to the machinery of government

Our most popular course. Ideal for teams seeking a comprehensive overview of how Wellington works, including ministers, Parliament, and the public sector.

Workshop

  • This course is ideal for people who are new to working in the public sector, as well as those seeking a refresher to fill in knowledge gaps.

    Topics include:

    • The three branches of government

    • What ministers do, and how they are assigned portfolios

    • How Cabinet makes key policy decisions

    • The role of Parliament in holding ministers and agencies to account

    • The MMP electoral system and how governments are formed

    • The structure and definition of the public sector

    • The crucial role public servants play in supporting ministers to achieve outcomes

    Includes a high level of learner interaction and discussion throughout.

    • “Best course I've ever attended across the board. Content, engagement, delivery, pace, materials etc. all really good.” - Ministry of Justice

    • “A subject that does not float my boat made interesting by great slides, quizzes, stories and an enthusiastic presenter!” - National Emergency Management Agency

    • “I really enjoyed this course! It was well presented, interactive and interesting. I have some experience on this topic but learned so much and really enjoyed the ability to discuss and hear from others, this was encouraged throughout! Totally already recommending internally.” - Tertiary Education Commission

    • “I found that it was really engaging. I especially love the quizzes interspersed throughout the course.” - The Treasury

    • Available as a full day (face-to-face) or two half-days (via MS Teams).

    • Agency bookings only. Contact us for more information, participant numbers, pricing, and available dates.

    • Completion of this course constitutes 6.5 hours of verifiable Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with a Certificate of Completion available on request.

(2) The Insider’s Guide to Policy and Law-making

How policy decisions are made and scrutinised by Parliament

Designed from the perspective of officials, this course guides learners through the full policy process, Cabinet decision-making, and the scrutiny of legislation by the House and its committees. Comprehensive in scope, and highly relevant to day-to-day advisory work.

Workshop

  • Effective advice requires a clear understanding of how policy and law-making work in practice. While many public servants learn parts of the process on the job, few have the opportunity to see how the entire system fits together.

    This course provides a comprehensive, end-to-end view of the policy and legislative system, empowering participants to deliver confident, timely, and effective advice.

    Topics include:

    • Ministers commissioning policy advice

    • Core policy analysis tools

    • Stakeholder and public consultation

    • Regulatory Impact Analysis and Cabinet papers

    • The role of officials in Cabinet and Cabinet committee decisions

    • Primary and secondary legislation (regulations)

    • Parliamentary scrutiny of bills (including government and members’ bills)

    • Select Committee processes and advice to MPs

    The course uses real policy issues, Cabinet papers, and legislation to actively engage learners.

    • “Amazing! Life-changing for me in my current role. I feel so much more confident. Thank you!” - Land Information NZ

    • “Very good, well prepared and I like Ryan using present examples in his teachings.” - DPMC

    • “Excellent. Great content and context to take into my role. Should be mandatory.” - The Treasury

    • “This has been really brilliant at taking us through the journey from start to finish. As non-policy people, we haven't learnt this as part of our vocational training as policy people would have, and often we are told about these things with an assumption that we know what they are talking about - now we do!” - MBIE

    • Available as a full day (face-to-face) or two half-days (via MS Teams).

    • Agency bookings only. Contact us for more information, participant numbers, pricing, and available dates.

    • Completion of this course constitutes 6.5 hours of verifiable Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with a Certificate of Completion available on request.

(3) Making Friends with the OIA

Transforming compliance into confidence

Managing OIA requests can be complex and time-consuming. Yet many public servants are tasked with responding to requests without ever receiving formal training on the Act.

This training covers the Act’s key principles and processes, providing the necessary grounding to handle OIA requests with confidence.

Workshop

  • Suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike, this course develops the confidence to make robust OIA decisions.

    Topics include:

    • OIA fundamentals: who can request information, what "information" is covered, timeframes, and the Ombudsman’s role

    • Out-of-scope vs. withholding information

    • Charging for information

    • The OIA's overlap with the Privacy Act 2020

    • Broad requests: managing "fishing expeditions" and refinements

    • Methods of making information available to requesters

    • Withholding grounds under Sections 6, 9, and 18

    • Proactive release

    Includes plenty of case studies, recent Ombudsman decisions, and best-practice tips.

    • “This course was way better than I expected. You made what could be a dry topic interesting and thought-provoking.” - Department of Conservation

    • “This was one of the best online sessions I have attended. Focused and informative.” - Ministry of Transport

    • “Very helpful. The parts of the course where I knew the information already didn’t feel boring - instead it made me think differently about the Act in a new way” - NZ Super Fund

    • “Excellent structure. Debunked some misconceptions around the OIA. And learned some warning signs for common pitfalls.” - Ministry of Education

    • “Very well presented and informative. Learned a lot more than I thought I would. The explanation behind the reasons for withholding information and the public interest test was especially valuable.” - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

    • Available as a full day (face-to-face) or two half-days (via MS Teams).

    • Agency bookings only. Contact us for more information, participant numbers, pricing, and available dates.

    • Completion of this course constitutes 6.5 hours of verifiable Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with a Certificate of Completion available on request.

Ask about a workshop

Online courses

We also offer individual learning through our online courses. Learn at your own pace, wherever you are.

The Insider’s guide to NZ Government

This is the on-demand edition of our flagship Insider’s Guide to NZ Government workshop (see above). The content mirrors the workshop version, but offers total flexibility.

The course consists of five sessions of approximately one hour each. You can complete them at your own pace to fit your work schedule, with the option to set email reminders to keep you on track. Each session is highly engaging and includes quizzes, FAQs, and follow-up resources.

The sessions work on any web browser - whether you are at home, in the office, or hopefully on the embankment at the Basin Reserve.

Agencies can also purchase licence bundles (10, 25, or 50) at a reduced rate. Contact us for volume pricing.

On-demand course

  • The Insider’s guide to NZ Government (on-demand)

  • Available now - register below

  • 5.5 hours (5 on-demand sessions)

  • Flexible to suit work schedules

  • CPD verifiable: 5.5. hours

  • $450 + gst pp

Register for this course

  • “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

  • “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

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

    Ministry of Health

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

    Te Puni Kōkiri

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

    Te Arawhiti

eLearning modules

Short on time? Our high-impact eLearning modules (60–90 minutes) provide a streamlined overview of the essentials. Perfect for inductions or quick refreshers.

For individuals: Register for a module below to receive access via email.

For agencies: We offer annual subscriptions that provide unlimited access for all staff, contractors, and board members. This is an ideal solution for staff induction and consistency across your agency. You can use your own Learning Management System (LMS) or ours. Contact us for more information.

eLearning

  • 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

    • How the Executive (ministers and public sector agencies) govern the country

    • How Parliament scrutinises the performance of the Executive

    • The role the Judiciary plays in applying laws

    • The role of Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi in government

    • Political neutrality

    (approx. 60 mins, $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

    “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

    “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

  • This module builds on the concepts discussed in The Big Picture, providing a deeper understanding of how government operates.

    Part 1 explores:

    • The role of the Prime Minister

    • Portfolios

    • How ministers make policy decisions in Cabinet and Cabinet committees

    • Ministers inside and outside Cabinet

    Part 2 explains the three main types of government agencies: departments, Crown entities, and state-owned enterprises. Understanding these distinctions is a key asset when collaborating with other government agencies.

    (approx. 90 mins, $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

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

    “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

  • This engaging module is your essential guide to navigating the OIA.

    It guides you through the Act's key requirements and best-practice tips, ensuring you can make robust OIA decisions with confidence.

    Who is this for? Ideal for those new to the OIA, as well as those who have handled requests but haven’t received formal training on the Act.

    The module covers:

    • The principle of availability of information

    • Eligibility to make a request

    • Managing broad requests (including "fishing expeditions")

    • Transfers, timeframes, and consultation

    • In-scope vs. out-of-scope information

    • Section 6, 9, and 18 withholding grounds

    • The Ombudsman as the OIA referee

    (approx. 90 mins, $209 + GST)

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

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

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

  • Three eLearning modules

  • Available now - register below

  • Agency subscriptions - contact us

  • The Big Picture: 60 mins, $189 + gst pp, 1 hour verifiable CPD

  • The Executive: 90 mins, $209 + gst pp, 1.5 hours verifiable CPD

  • Help, I have an OIA request: 90 mins, $209 + gst pp, 1.5 hours verifiable CPD

Register for a module