NZQA registered unit standard
19901 version 3
Page 1 of 4
Title
Demonstrate introductory knowledge of the public sector financial
management system
Level
3
Credits
4
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to: explain
principles of the public sector financial management system;
describe key public sector financial management structures;
describe the legislative framework that supports the public
sector financial management system; and identify and describe
key aspects of the public sector financial management system
as they relate to a specific public sector organisation.
Classification
Public Sector Services > Public Sector Core Skills
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard is intended for people who are, or who intend to be, employed in
the public sector.
2
Reference material that can be used as part of this unit standard can include
departmental annual reports, and the Treasury publication Putting It Together: An
Explanatory Guide to the New Zealand Public Sector Financial Management System
(1996) ISBN: 0-478-10609-2, available from www.treasury.govt.nz.
3
Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes: Public Finance Act 1989, State
Sector Act 1988, State-Owned Enterprises Act 1986.
4
Definitions
GAAP refers to generally accepted accounting practice.
Public sector refers to the State sector (central Government), including the Public
Service, crown entities, non-uniformed staff of the services and forces, offices of
Parliament; and all local authorities (local Government), including local authority
trading enterprises (LATEs).
Public Service refers to the departments of State which carry out core government
business and which are listed in the First Schedule to the State Sector Act 1988.
State sector refers to all organisations that are included in the ‘Crown reporting entity’
and are referred to in section 27(3) of the Public Finance Act 1989, namely: Public
Service departments; other organisations defined as departments for the purpose of
the Public Finance Act 1989; Offices of Parliament (eg the Parliamentary
Commissioner for the Environment); State owned enterprises; Crown entities; and
the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
19901 version 3
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Explain principles of the public sector financial management system.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The explanation includes how public sector finance assists the Government to
translate its strategy into action.
1.2
The explanation describes how the public sector financial management system
informs decision-making and accountability.
1.3
The explanation describes how the public sector financial management system
encourages a responsive and efficient public sector.
1.4
The role of the Office of the Auditor-General is explained in relation to the public
sector financial management system.
Outcome 2
Describe key public sector financial management structures.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The structural conventions used in the public sector financial management
system are described.
Range
2.2
can include but is not limited to – financial year, three year
planning cycle, estimates and supplementary estimates,
appropriation.
The description includes an explanation of the term GAAP and its relevance to
the public sector financial management system.
Outcome 3
Describe the legislative framework that supports the public sector financial management
system.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The relationship of the State Sector Act 1988 and the State-Owned Enterprises
Act 1986 to the public sector financial management system is described.
3.2
The Public Finance Act 1989 is described in relation to its role in the public
sector financial management system.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
19901 version 3
Page 3 of 4
Outcome 4
Identify and describe key aspects of the public sector financial management system as
they relate to a specific public sector organisation.
Range
minimum of one public sector organisation.
Evidence requirements
4.1
The description includes all sources of revenue.
may include but is not limited to – voting appropriations, sale of
goods and services, subsidies, fees.
Range
4.2
The description includes the forms of expenditure.
4.3
The description includes the process of accountability.
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 14953.
Planned review date
31 December 2013
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
27 May 2003
31 December 2012
Rollover and
Revision
2
20 November 2009
31 December 2012
Review
3
20 May 2011
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0121
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
19901 version 3
Page 4 of 4
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact The Skills Organisation info@skills.org.nz if you wish to suggest changes
to the content of this unit standard.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016