2.7 Role of policy or instructing officers

A policy or instructing officer from the relevant department has the day-to-day responsibility for the development of a government Bill. During the development stage, the officer must gain a full understanding of what the proposed Bill is intended to achieve. The officer must become thoroughly familiar with the proposal’s detail and its interaction with other laws. The officer must be ready to brief Ministers about any difficulties in achieving policy objectives and to assist or appear before the relevant portfolio committee. The officer’s role is more fully considered in Chapter 3.4.