Minding the minister? Ministerial advisers in New Zealand government

Abstract

In recent years, political advisers have been in the spotlight in a number of \rWestminster nations. A surprising feature of the literature, however, is the relative lack \rof empirical attention paid to advisers themselves.\r Moreover, researchers have tended to \rfocus on the accountability issues raised by the conduct of political staff at the expense \rof other significant matters, including advisers’ views of their influence on the policy \rprocess and on relations between ministers and public servants.\rThis article seeks to redress those gaps. Drawing o\rn data from a survey of New \rZealand’s ministerial advisers, it describes the activities advisers engage in, and sets out \radvisers’ views on their contribution to the policy process, their bearing on relationships \rbetween ministers and officials, and the state of their own relations with public servants. \rIt concludes that the ministerial adviser’s role in the executive branch of New Zealand \rgovernment is more varied and comprehensive than is frequently assumed.\r