NZQA registered unit standard
19903 version 3
Page 1 of 4
Title
Describe the election and formation of government and implications
for public sector employees
Level
3
Credits
3
Purpose
People credited with this unit standard are able to describe:
mixed member proportional representation (the MMP electoral
system) as it applies to New Zealand; the principles,
conventions, and practice of the public sector which govern the
election and formation of government; and how New Zealand
citizens, as individuals and/or as groups, participate in central
government.
Classification
Public Sector Services > Public Sector Core Skills
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
This unit standard is for people who are, or who intend to be, employed in the public
sector.
2
Definitions
MMP refers to mixed member proportional representation electoral system.
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 s27(3) of the Public Finance Act 1989, namely: Public Service
departments; other organisations defined as departments for the purposes 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
19903 version 3
Page 2 of 4
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe mixed member proportional representation (the MMP electoral system) as it
applies to New Zealand.
Evidence requirements
1.1
The description explains how mixed member proportional representation works
in New Zealand including the two tier electoral system of electorate and list
members of parliament.
1.2
The explanation includes a description of how governments are formed under
the system of mixed member proportional representation.
Outcome 2
Describe the principles, conventions, and practice of the public sector which govern the
election and formation of government.
Evidence requirements
2.1
The description identifies and explains the principles, conventions, and practice
which apply to a caretaker period of government.
Range
2.2
examples include but are not limited to – dissolution of
government, responsibilities of New Zealand public sector,
consultation with opposition parties, policy proposals put on hold,
authority to spend public monies;
evidence of three examples is required.
The description identifies and explains the principles, conventions, and practice
which apply to the election of a new government and/or re-election of a
government.
Range
examples may include but are not limited to – preparation and
distribution of post-election briefing papers for incoming
government, briefing new ministers on portfolio responsibilities,
public comments;
evidence of three examples is required.
Outcome 3
Describe how New Zealand citizens, as individuals and/or as groups, participate in central
government.
Evidence requirements
3.1
The description explains citizen participation through the electoral process.
Range
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
franchise, registration, party membership, candidacy.
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
3.2
19903 version 3
Page 3 of 4
The description explains citizen participation through representation to
Parliament.
examples include but are not limited to – access to local member
of parliament, right to official information, select committees,
citizen initiated petitions and referenda, lobby groups;
evidence of three examples is required.
Range
Replacement information
This unit standard, unit standard 19895, unit standard
19896, and unit standard 19900 replaced unit standard
14947, unit standard 14948, and unit standard 14952.
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.
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.
The Skills Organisation
SSB Code 100401
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2016
NZQA registered unit standard
19903 version 3
Page 4 of 4
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