including

Decision Making Matrix Strategy

&

What if.... Strategy

Introduction

A Full Ministerial Brief guidelines
Ministerial Media Release
Decision Making Matrix Strategy
What if... Strategy

Process
More Resources

Examples within On the Job

A Cooperative Learning Strategy

Introduction

A Ministerial Brief is to include two sections:

• A Full Brief - for the Minister/PM
• News Item - for the Media

This strategy can also include the Decision Making Matrix Strategy (see below) and the What if... Strategy (see below)

A Full Ministerial Brief needs to adhere to the following guidelines:

Brevity

Briefs should be concise and only include the most important information to support the minister to make a decision.

Ministers have limited time to consider your brief. In addition to their ministerial responsibilities, they have parliamentary duties and must represent their electorate.

Clarity

Be clear and succinct. Think about what your minister needs to know to make a decision.

Write in plain English and include your recommendations, key issues and background information.

Timeliness (by the end of the lesson time)

Give your minister and their office enough time to consider your advice and make a decision. Your organisation’s briefing protocols should detail these timelines, as agreed with the minister’s office.

If your minister needs advice before you have all the relevant information, a senior executive can decide whether to brief at that time and send more information later.

Consultation (with the rest of the class)

Ensure you’ve got input from the relevant people across your organisation as well as other parts of government. This can include asking for clarification on the intent of any request for a brief while it’s being drafted.

Always collaborate with others if an issue or decision may affect their team’s work or if your brief involves a matter where another area is the lead.

In some cases, you may need external expertise and stakeholder feedback to give the minister accurate advice.

Content

Ensure all your briefs include:

• analysis
• evidence
• consultation with relevant experts
• any legal requirements for the minister to validly exercise a power under legislation
  understanding of risks and how they will be managed
• options to proceed
• a clear recommendation and decision for your minister to make.
  

Key reasons

Detail key reasons to help the Decision Maker make a decision
  
1.1 Structure this section by your reasoning
Ask why the Decision Maker should support your recommendations. Each reason would follow a 'because' statement.
   
1.2 Use analytical subheadings to capture each reason
Use subheadings to summarise the argument being made. This will allow the reader to understand the topic, analysis and recommendations, then scan the key points of the argument. They can also navigate more effectively to the supporting evidence under each subheadings.
   
1.3 Keep the brief short and to the point
Write so that this section does not go over the first page.
   
Note Your recommendation should be self-contained enough to make sense when standing alone.

Look at Queensland Education to see MB.

Process for Ministerial Brief

This activity is used to summarise a topic as a small and large group.

1. Name the topic, issue or problem for analysis.
2. Students individually list all possible factors.
3. In small groups, students compare and add to their lists.
4. A whole class list is constructed.
5. Students select the three or four most important factors that could summarise the topic or issue or resolve the problem.

A Ministerial Brief can include the Decision Making Matrix Strategy to help clarify the situation for the Minister/PM

Decision Making Matrix Strategy

The Decision Making Matrix enables to compare alternatives easily and to make a logical decision.
  
Process for Decision Making Matrix:
   
Students are presented with a problem.

• Students/ Teacher decide on choices that the character in the text could have. These are placed along the top row of the matrix.
• Students/ Teacher decide on aspects to consider regarding the decision. These are placed down the first column of the matrix.
• Students compare the choices systematically. They colour (or mark in some other way) the most satisfactory choices for each aspect.
  

What if.... Strategy

The What If strategy enables students to reflect on problems, situations to visualise a better time and place.

Process for What If:

• Students think of situations /problems that we experience in our lives.
• Students generate ideas on the consequences of using moral actions of caring for our environment, charity, kindness, generosity, love, expressing joy, being peaceful people, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
• Students draw, paint, or create a collage of their ideas.
  

Ministerial Media Release

(Source: ABC News)

Ministers in a Government like to release to the media - short statements about how well they are going etc.

Read the following article and follow the steps outlined there to create a basic media release

Craft the media release in the format described in the article:

• Date

• Headline

• Lead paragraph

• Body

• End

• Contact information

• Boiler plate

This format is tailored to fulfill its specific purpose, yet share the goal of informing, engaging, and resonating with readers.

For example, on the 7 November 2025, Senator the Hon Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment & Water sent out this Media Release:

Analyse this above Ministerial Media Release....

a. Who is it addressing?

b. Why is Minister Watt presenting this Media Release at this time?

c. What are the key messages?

d. How are these key messages given?

e. What do you think are the political messages?
 

(An aside - what do you think of an Environment Minister [Energy too] and Water being called "Murray Watt"?

More resources

BTN - Behind the News See what is wrong with the date here?

Victorian Public Sector Commission

 

Examples within On the Job website

Waste & Environmental Compliance Officer

Can Australia reach the 2050 renewable energy status? #TC Secondary Lesson Strategy: Ministerial Brief

 

Materials sourced from

Victorian Public Sector Commission  [How to Brief Your Minister; ]
Victoria State Government - Premier & Cabinet [Common Templates; ]
Grammarly [News Article; ]