• Mission Statement
• Roles and Responsibilities
• Areas of Core Business
• Divisions
• Senior Management Team (SMT)
• Structure

In more specific terms, DPLGA’s primary responsibility is to provide technical support to provincial and local level governments to achieve good governance and effective service delivery, through 4 key strategic areas;

• Policy and legislative support
• Performance monitoring and coordination
• Capacity building
• Special projects relating to Provincial & Local Level Governments

Clients of the Department of Provincial and Local Government Affairs at the National level are NEC, CACC, PLLSMA who wish to be informed on the performance of provincial governments and local-level governments, provincial governments and local-level governments are it's clients at the sub-national level.

The Department's mandate therefore, comes from the Organic Law on Provincial Governments and Local-Level Governments, Provincial Governments Administration Act and Local-Level Government Administration. In addition the Department also gets it's mandate from the Medium Term Development Strategy (MTDS).

• Provide policy and legislative support to provincial governments and local-level governments in line with the Minister's statutory responsibilities
• Coordinate, monitor and report on the governance performance of Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments
• Help build the capacity of Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments
• Undertake special projects related to Provincial Governments and Local-level Governments as required by the National Government

• Local Government Advisory Services - (LGAS)
• Borders and Special Projects - (B&SP)
• Capacity Building - (CBD)
• Policy, Legal and Information Technology - (PL&IT)
• Standards and Inspections - (S&I)
• Finance and Administration - (F&A)
• Human Resource and Salary - (HR&S)

Local Government Advisory Services Division is responsible for providing sound advise for the purpose of good governance to the Minister of DPLGA, Provincial and Local - Level Governments as well as other National Agencies.

It's main activities are;

• Establishment of procedural and operational guidelines for provincial and LLG's in accordance with the Organic Law on Provincial and Local Government and other relevant Acts.
• Provision of advice and guidance on good governance processes and procedures to provincial and LLG's under the reform.
• Strengthening capacity of elected leaders and public officials on their roles and responsibilities under the reform.
• In liaison with other relevant division, e.g, Legal and Policy Division, investigate and resolve issues and complaints on Provincial and LLGs including misconduct in office by elected leaders and public officials.
• In consultation with PNG Electoral Commission facilities election of LLG's and the determination of LLG boundires.
• Facilitation of the establishment, alteration and abolishing of LLGs, wards and SPAs.
• Provision of advice to minister through secretary on LLG matters.    

Borders and Specials Projects Division is responsible for facilitating transmission of deceased estates and acquisition of land for state purposes under Section 125 of the Land Registration Act and perform custodian functions under Section 134 of Lands Act as well as coordinate implementation of bilateral Agreements relating to internal administration of international borders, refugee policies and border development programme.

It's main activities are;

• Development of policies, guidelines and procedures on border administration and development
• Overall internal administration and coordination of internal borders and refugee camps.
• Administration and enforcement of relevant provisions of border agreements/treaties in relation to administration of international borders.
• Coordinate and overseeing the implementation of refugee policies and programs.
• Facilitate acquisition of customary land for state purposes and perform custodian role on behalf of the State under Section 167 of Land Registration Act and Section 134 of Lands Act.
• Facilitate transmission of deceased estate and titles through the office of Registrar of titles and the department of Lands and physical planning.

Capacity Building Division is responsible for the overall management and coordination of capacity building initiatives for Provincial and District administrations.

It's main activities are;

• Identification of  provincial capacity needs and priorities.
• Development of plans and strategies for capacity building for provincial and district administrations.
• Liaison and coordination with relevant National Agencies and DPLGA divisions for provision of technical and financial assistance for provincial and district administration capacity building.
• Liaison and coordinate with international donor agencies to secure technical and financial support for provincial and district administration capacity building.
• creation of awareness, and assistance to provincial administrations to Participate in Performance Improvement Initiatives.
• Monitoring and evaluation of capacity building activities undertaken by DPLGA and other agencies.
• Provision of regular reports and information on capacity building activities to all key stakeholders.

Policy, Legal and Information Technology Division is responsible for providing technical support to DPLGA and as well as technical assistance to provinces.

It's main activities are;

• Overall technical support to the Minister, NEC and Provincial and Local Governments, on policy and legal matters relating to provincial and Local-Level Governments.
• Perform legal and policy drafting relating to provincial and Local-Level Governments.
• Provide advisory services to the department, provincial and local-level governments on legal and policy matters.
• Provide legal representation in court for Department and Provincial and Local-Level Governments.
• Provision of advisory services through secretary to CACC, line agencies and other statutory bodies on legal and policy matters affecting provincial and local governments.
• Overall Technical support to DPLGA in management of information and its technological systems.
• Installation and maintenance of computerized information systems for the Department.
• Provision of technical advise and information to DPLGA management IT and related matters.
• Provision of technical assistance in provincial and LLG capacity building in areas of IT.

Its main activities are to;

• assess evidence of financial irregularities in the Provincial and Local-Level Governments and recommend remedial measures,
• plan and carry out financial inspections and investigations in the Provincial and Local-Level Government,
• ensure that proper and effective budgeting, planning and expenditure control are maintained in all levels of governments,
• assist line departments to improve skills and management of funds in the Provincial and Local-Level Governments administration,
• assist other agencies in improving financial guidelines for use by the Provincial and Local-Level Governments,
• plan for and carry out requirement of Provincial and Local-Level Service Monitoring Authority(PLLSMA).

The division will perform the function of "Provincial Inspectorates" as required under section 110(3) of the Organic Law on Provincial and Local-Level Governments.

This is expected to commence now as part of a pilot initiative until 2005 when it officially expected to take effect in the 2005 budget for the Department.

Finance and Administration Division is responsible for the daily financial and administrative support to the Minister and DPLGA.

It's main activities are;

• Administration of department's financial resources and procurements of goods and services in accordance with the Public Finance Management Act and operational guidelines.
• Administration of department fixed assets.
• Provide technical advice to management, client divisions and provincial administrations on financial matters.

Human Resource and Salary Division is responsible for all HR and Salary matters in DPLGA.

It's main activities are;

• Administration of Department's human resource needs in terms of HR Planning, recruitment and selection, HR development, employees salaries remuneration, industrial relations, and HR information
• Provision of technical advice and assistance to management, client divisions and provincial administrations on HR matters.

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