Cabinet Handbook - The Department of the Prime Minister and ...

ANNEX D – PREPARING A SUBMISSION TO THE CABINET
Cabinet submissions
1. A Cabinet submission is the documentation by which a minister puts a proposal to the Cabinet or
a Cabinet committee. The rules and procedures below apply to Cabinet committees as well as the full
Cabinet.
2. Given the volume of Cabinet documentation that ministers need to consider, the Prime Minister,
in consultation with the Cabinet Secretary, establishes strict guidelines on the format of submissions so
that:
(a) the proposal and the problem it seeks to address are expressed clearly and concisely;
(b) there is a focus on what action the Government could take;
(c) the impact on the Government’s priority policy areas can be easily discerned; and
(d) implementation risks are clearly identified.
3. For more detailed information on formatting requirements, risk assessment and implementation
planning see the Drafter’s Guide.
4. In addition to a prescribed format, the Cabinet also requires that, during the development of a
submission, there is consultation between ministers (and departments) so that:
(a) there is agreement on the facts, including costs, being presented in the submission;
(b) all relevant factors, from a whole-of-government perspective, are taken into account;
(c) departments and agencies with responsibility for, and/or knowledge of, implementation in the
policy area can provide input; and
(d) as far as possible, differences between ministers are resolved in advance of Cabinet
consideration or are identified and set out in a way that will facilitate discussion and decisionmaking.
5. The submission process, therefore, includes a number of mandatory basic consultation
procedures.
6. As ministers take collective responsibility for the decisions of the Cabinet and are bound by the
principle of Cabinet solidarity to support and advocate Cabinet outcomes, it is imperative that they have
sufficient time to consider submissions in advance of any Cabinet discussion.
7. The Cabinet Secretary, therefore, takes responsibility for ensuring there has been sufficient time
for ministers to consider submissions by mandating the timeframes between exposure draft,
coordination comments, lodgement, listing as a business list item, and Cabinet consideration.
Understanding the timeframes is particularly important when proposals are time critical.
8. The Cabinet’s requirements in relation to submission format, consultation and timeframe
requirements seek to support collective decision-making. Exemption from any aspect of these
requirements should only be sought in exceptional circumstances and will require the agreement of the
Cabinet Secretary.
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