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Scenario · Policy and Strategy Branch

Draft a briefing note on grants budget options

You are a Senior Policy Officer in the Policy and Strategy Branch.

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The situation

What has happened

The Deputy Secretary has asked for options for allocating the remaining round 3 budget of the Community Connect Grants, registered as BN-26-0233 in the correspondence tracker and due on 10 September 2026. Demand in rounds 1 and 2 exceeded the budget by more than double, regional applicants have complained about assessment delays, and a member of Parliament has requested a meeting about multicultural funding. The Minister is preparing for budget estimates in November and expects every figure to be defensible. Aroha Te Rangi wants a brief on the template that gives the decision on page one, with costed options, risks and consultation recorded.

Your brief. Prepare a briefing note for decision using the ministerial brief template, drawing figures from the grants register and the file, presenting at least three costed options with a clear recommendation, recording consultation with the grants and corporate branches and identifying risks and sensitivities, then move it through clearance in the tracker.
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Tasks

Deliverables

  • Completed Ministerial Briefing Note of no more than three pages plus attachments
  • Options analysis table with sources
  • Consultation record
  • Tracker entry BN-26-0233 updated through drafting and clearance

Documents to use

Systems to use

Ministerial and Correspondence Tracker

Registers ministerial briefs, correspondence, complaints, freedom of information requests and public enquiries with due dates, owners and clearance status.

Grants Register

Records every grant application from receipt through assessment, decision, funding agreement, payment and acquittal across the four programs.

For trainers and assessors

Units of competency

Current on training.gov.au for the Public Sector Training Package as at 10 September 2026.

PSPPCY017Provide policy advice
PSPGEN143Prepare high-level written communication
PSPGEN106Conduct research and analysis
PSPGEN149Develop and use political nous
PSPGEN142Refine complex workplace documents

Qualifications

PSP50122Diploma of Government
PSP60122Advanced Diploma of Government
Assessor notes

What to look for

Evidence guide

The brief must lead with a clear recommendation, present genuine options with honest risks, and cite a source for every number. Look for plain language, correct classification, recorded consultation and sensitivity to the estimates hearing and the parliamentary meeting request. The tracker status changes should follow the procedure. Advice that is frank about trade-offs is stronger than advice that only supports one answer.

The student's evidence summary lists every record they created or changed in the systems named above, their notes and the tasks they ticked. Verify it against the deliverables and your own assessment tool.