Cabinet Secretariat
Cabinet meets regularly and operates under Westminster conventions. The deliberations of Cabinet are confidential, in order that the members of Cabinet may exchange differing views and at the same time maintain the principle of collective responsibility for any decision which may be made.
Support to Cabinet and the Cabinet process is provided by the Cabinet Secretariat in the Chief Minister and Cabinet Directorate through:
- providing administrative support to the Chief Minister and Cabinet;
- assisting the Chief Minister and the Secretary to Cabinet to manage Cabinet’s forward agenda;
- providing advice and training to officials on Cabinet processes;
- maintaining the archive of ACT Cabinet papers;
- monitoring and enforcing compliance with the Cabinet Handbook and the Cabinet Paper Drafting Guide; and
- coordinating the Cabinet Liaison Officer (CLO) Network; and
- facilitate the Accessing of Cabinet Outcomes through the Executive Document Release and the preparation of weekly Summaries of Cabinet Outcomes.
Cabinet Handbook and Cabinet Paper Drafting Guide
The Cabinet Handbook [
PDF 294KB] and Cabinet Paper Drafting Guide [ PDF 279KB] provide guidance for ACT Government officials on how to bring business before Cabinet, how to consult adequately with other ACT agencies and how to draft Cabinet papers that allow Cabinet to make deliberative, informed decisions.
Boards and Committees Handbook
This handbook provides policy and practical guidance to those involved in ACT Government boards and committees, particularly ACTPS officers, executives, ministers and heads of boards.
Boards and Committees Handbook [ PDF 218KB]
Caretaker guidelines
Special arrangements apply, by accepted convention, to the operation of the ACT Government in the period immediately before and after an election. Decisions that would bind the incoming government are not normally made during this caretaker period. The Cabinet does not normally meet during the caretaker period.
Detailed guidance on caretaker conventions is issued by the Chief Minister’s Department prior to general elections for the Legislative Assembly.
Caretaker conventions for the 2008 Election [ PDF 129KB]
