4.5.5 Issues management

Principles
Issues management is intended to forecast developments that can have an impact on the Government and to develop responses and action plans. It enables the Government and its agencies to prepare and advance positions on matters of public policy and influence the course of the debate.

A strategic issues management process to scan the environment for problems and opportunities, to develop and implement action plans, and to monitor and track issues, is an integral part of management. Communication is an integral part of issues management.

Policy requirements
To ensure effective communications of an issue, agencies must:

• prepare a communication strategy that takes into account the information needs of internal and external stakeholders
• have in place internal processes and procedures for communicating with staff
• have a designated unit or officer responsible for managing media activities and for liaising with the Government Communications Office and their Minister’s Office
• identify managers or staff with the knowledge and/or technical expertise to provide input to media responses or to speak as official representatives of their agency. 

See Strategy and implementation or use the following templates for planning communications:

Communications strategy (short-term): template
Communications strategy (short-term): users guide

Communications strategy (long-term): template
Communications strategy (long-term): users guide

Cabinet submission: communications strategy template
Cabinet submission: communications strategy users guide