This guide includes general advice that’s relevant to all public servants and specific advice for executives and officers.
It applies to you if you’re:
If you’re a public service executive who exercises the delegated authority of secretaries read our guidance for secretaries and senior executives.
This guide:
The guide is written broadly to capture a range of circumstances public servants might encounter when considering whether to brief the minister.
Departments and entities will also have their own processes and protocols for working with ministerial offices. You should refer to these processes along with this guidance. If you have any doubt about a course of action to pursue, speak with your line manager in the first instance.
To learn more about working with ministers, check with your organisation to see what training they can offer.
Find out more about how this fits into the VPS operating environment in our Informing and advising Ministers – Guidance for Secretaries and senior executives.
The differences between officers and executives when informing and advising ministers
An overview of the types of matters you need to brief your minister on
What to consider when writing a brief or communicating with your minister
What meaningful engagement looks like with your minister and their office
What to consider as an officer when supporting your executive to brief your minister
What to consider as an executive when you're briefing your minister
A list of dos and don'ts for executives and officers to consider when informing and advising ministers