Background
The Border Executive Board is the longest running interdepartmental executive board under the Public Service Act 2020, having been established in January 2021 to deliver an integrated and effective New Zealand border system. The border system has several characteristics that make it well suited to governance by an interdepartmental executive board: it has significance to the security, safety, and prosperity of New Zealand, and it involves complex trade-offs where activities and decisions made by one agency have impact on other agencies and people at the border. COVID-19 highlighted the value of have strong ownership and a dedicated forum for the end-to-end border process.
These agencies are within the Board’s remit:
- New Zealand Customs Service
- Ministry for Primary Industries
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- Ministry of Health
- Ministry of Transport
The Board is chaired by the Comptroller of Customs and supported by a small secretariat team hosted by the New Zealand Customs Service (as the servicing department). The Chair acts as the first point of contact for border system matters, including with ministers and stakeholders. The collective arrangements of the Board are also reflected at the deputy chief executive level, with a dedicated group that met fortnightly to deal with COVID-related matters throughout 2021/22. A broader group including the Civil Aviation Authority and Maritime NZ met monthly on matters relating to stewardship and systems improvements for the border. As the need for frequent COVID meetings reduced and the Board re-evaluated its strategic priorities at the end of 2022, a single DCE group was created and commenced fortnightly meetings from February 2023.
The IEB had a strong collaborative starting point from which to build on their leadership for the border. The New Zealand Customs Service, Ministry for Primary Industries, Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment worked together informally as the Border Sector Governance Group from 2007 to 2020. The membership was expanded in 2020 to include Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Achievements (to February 2023)
The responsibilities of the Board are strategic border system improvements, addressing gaps and future risks, and managing fiscal challenges. These were set by Cabinet when the Board was established but are being reviewed as part of the development of a Border Sector Strategy that reflects the shift in how COVID-19 is managed.
The Board’s work programme for 2021/22 had three pillars: stewardship, COVID-19, and systems improvements, all of which have progressed well, with some reprioritisation for the evolving pandemic context. Key areas of focus were the border’s contribution to the Reconnecting New Zealander’s programme, developing a Border Sector Strategy, progressing areas of interest to Cabinet around data sharing and privacy, integrating targeting and risk management, and investment in new technologies.
For 2022/23 the Board has revised its work programme to align to the draft Border Sector Strategy and the shift in how COVID-19 is managed. The programme retains stewardship and splits the joint initiatives delivered with the border agencies into responding to current matters and improving the border for the future. This reflects how the Board manages immediate risks and opportunities while also driving strategic border improvements.
In the stewardship area, the Board commissioned risk and assurance reviews on several COVID response measures (for both the air and maritime borders, and in relation to managed isolation and quarantine) and oversaw the implementation of resulting recommendations. They also strengthened risk management with increased agency participation at the Integrated Targeting and Operations Centre.
In the more operational COVID-19 area, the Board connected agencies and ensured that there were no gaps, even through continually evolving policy settings. Specific initiatives included the Traveller Health Declaration System, quarantine-free travel arrangements, border worker vaccinations, pre-departure testing, safe travel advice, the Maritime Border Programme and consular support.
In the systems improvements area, the Board coordinated six initiatives, using collective leadership and programme management to influence priorities within individual agencies. The initiatives cover data sharing and privacy, digitisation, integrated targeting, establishment of an ongoing health presence at the border, airport infrastructure, and finance.
The Board made significant progress in terms of establishing themselves as a unit with administrative processes, clarifying their purpose, and setting a collective work programme. That work programme gives clarity around prioritisation, contains realistic initiatives that add value for the Board’s objectives, and plays to each agency’s capabilities. In January 2023, the Board confirmed their satisfaction with how they were operating as a governance group and how they were being supported in that.
The Board performed well against its annual report measures, achieving a ministerial satisfaction rating of ‘exceeds expectations’ for its provision of coordination, information and advice. They successfully applied the risk and assurance framework for the end-to-end border process with respect to COVID-19, although this measure is evolving to reflect a broader management of border risk and system improvement. As an ongoing measure into 2023, the Board’s work programme continues to include initiatives that respond to risk and drive border system improvement
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Working with industry
The Future Borders Sprint project was an eight-week collaboration in 2021 between the aviation sector and government agencies as part of the Government’s Reconnecting New Zealanders with the World programme. The project provided ministers with jointly agreed options for a safe, streamlined, and scalable border process that would support the gradual reopening of New Zealand’s air border in the context of COVID-19.
The project was co-sponsored by the Chief Executive of Auckland International Airport Limited and the Chair of the Border Executive Board (Comptroller of Customs). Other members included CEs of MBIE, Wellington International Airport Limited, Christchurch International Airport Limited, Air New Zealand, and the Executive Director of the Board of Airline Representatives of New Zealand.
Each Board member took accountability for successful delivery from their individual agency, as well as the collective delivery of the project overall. The Board’s commitment to this work generated visibility and support across the agencies, which was evident in agency staffing contributions. The Board model provided the mechanism for joint engagement and collaborative messaging with aviation sector partners and ministers, enriching relationships at the CE level and demonstrating commitment to a shared agenda.
The Sprint demonstrated co-creation across the industry and government sectors, with the Board acting as a positive mechanism for joint engagement. The Sprint supported mutual learning through changing health settings and provided all parties with better understanding of each other’s settings, delivering significant ongoing value beyond the Sprint itself.
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New Zealand Traveller Declaration
The New Zealand Traveller Declaration (NZTD) was successfully launched on 25 March 2022, initially as a tool for the COVID-19 health response at the border. The focus on COVID-19 allowed the NZTD to be prioritised for faster delivery. However, the pressures of COVID-19 did constrain resources and workforces elsewhere across the system; other aspects of the Systems Improvement work programme were slowed or paused, and resources were diverted from the ‘data and privacy’ and ‘digital border’ workstreams.
From when it was first implemented, the NZTD has been updated with more than 30 health settings and travel requirements to support the COVID-19 response, before the system was paused in October 20222. Given its functionality as a digital risk management tool (including for offshore risks) and arrival card, the NZTD system will also allow future changes to border settings to be implemented quickly.
The efficiency of the NZTD supports increased business effectiveness and sustainability for the border system as a whole. Working with key stakeholders like travellers and airports will continue to ensure delivery in June 2023 of a seamless border experience through the NZTD.
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Maritime Border Programme
The Board recognised that the maritime border was a gap in the Reconnecting New Zealanders initiative, which was focused on air passengers. They took leadership to address this by bringing agencies together, including Maritime NZ. The specific remit of the Board was an important enabler for this as Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport hold relationships with the maritime sector, while the Ministry of Health was committed to providing their specialist view of the situation.
The Board was monitoring possible supply chain risks, especially around the impact of COVID-19 on workforce capacity. Their assurance commissioning (e.g. Review of Maritime COVID-19 Border Incidents) revealed areas of possible improvement and they were able to implement the resulting recommendations, often in a process of continuous improvement.
The Maritime Border Programme led by the Board and secretariat enabled the full reopening of the maritime pathway, preserving supply chains and welcoming passengers on recreational vessels and cruise ships from 31 July 2022. The Programme closed in November 2022 as border agencies transitioned from a response approach into more enduring arrangements. For example, the Vessel Management Framework can be adapted for use at any port with minimal government input in order to manage ongoing COVID-19 situations or future pandemics. The Framework was a significant collaborative achievement across Customs, Maritime NZ, port operators and public health units. Updates to the BEB work programme will include maritime activity, as needed.