Public service boss: Sector 'not as politicised' as some say
The public service boss says his sector is "not as politicised as some would have you believe", even amid significant change in its senior ranks and politicians' commentary.
Sir Brian Roche, who was appointed as Public Service Commissioner in November last year, told Q+A public servants are "very neutral".
"[Politicisation of the public service] is something we have to remain alert to. But I don't see any particular examples of it at all," he said.
"I think the public deserves to know that they have an independent group of people who serve the government of the day."
Sir Brian had criticised a health official in the past for using the word "crap" to describe the advice Associate Health Minister Casey Costello used to grant tax cuts for heated tobacco products.
The Government is currently considering changes to the Public Service Act, as part of the National and ACT coalition agreement. The reforms are expected to "clarify the role of the public service" and "reinforce the principle of merit-based appointments".
When asked in February if the changes could include politicians being able to directly appoint public service chief executives, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon had not immediately ruled it out. Labour said the idea risked politicising the public service.
Sir Brian said ministers had "significant say already" over these appointments because they signed off on job descriptions and got to see the long and shortlists of possible public sector leaders.
He said these powers, as they stood, were sufficient.
When asked what would happen to perceptions about neutrality if politicians were given greater powers over candidates, Sir Brian said there was only one case in the early 1990s he was aware of where someone was removed from consideration.
"We avoid those situations."
All appointments were already merit-based and "that has never changed", he added.
Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters suggested in March diversity quotas were affecting the public service. Public Service Minister Judith Collins said she was not aware of any.
When asked if public chief executives were too easily reappointed, Sir Brian said: "I think there has been a little bit of experience — before I got there, by the way — of people being rotated through jobs without perhaps due scrutiny."
"That's going to be addressed in the changes to the [Public Service] Act where, after a five-year term or a three-year term, there is a process where people get re-scrutinised and compared to the market.
"I think that's healthy for them, and it's healthy for the system."
Since early January 2024, at least eight public sector chief executives under the Public Service Commissioner's direct purview had left their roles.
Sir Brian said that number was not "abnormally high".
"I think it reflects contractual cycles and change."
One chief executive had sighted health reasons for their departure: Oranga Tamariki's Chappie Te Kani.
Audrey Sonerson resigned as boss of the Ministry of Transport after her appointment as Director-General of Health, while Chris Seed of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had chosen to retire. Seed is now in the UK as Acting High Commissioner, after Phil Goff's sacking.
Treasury's Caralee McLiesh and Ministry of Education's Iona Holsted did not seek reappointment, both saying last year it was their decision to leave.
In December, Andrew Crisp finished up at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development after six years to take up a role with IHC.
Health NZ's Diana Sarfati resigned suddenly in February this year, less than halfway through her five-year term. She said it was "time to allow someone new to take up the mantle".
Meanwhile, Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden chose not seek re-appointment after the release of a scathing Public Service Commission report. It found Stats NZ had insufficient privacy safeguards when it contracted Manurewa Marae to collect Census data. That inquiry was launched after allegations Census and Covid-19 vaccination data collected at the marae was misused for Te Pāti Māori's election campaign.
Q+A with Jack Tame is made with the support of NZ on Air.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
12 hours ago
- Scoop
The House: Parliamentary Week Achieves Two Out Of Three Goals
Sanctions against Te Pti Mori MPs were historic, but they weren't the only thing that happened in the house. , Editor: The House While Parliament's week was dominated by its final event – Thursday's debate on the report from the Privileges Committee into a haka performed in the chamber – the rest of the week focussed on other business that, while more mundane, was still worthy of note. The Government appeared to have three objectives for this week in the house. Crucial to the administration's continuance, the first goal was to successfully complete the initial debate on the budget. The long initial budget debate could no longer dribble on over weeks, so the house spent six hours of the week completing the second reading debate, which is the first debate a budget gets. The reading was accomplished and so the Government continues. This may sound silly, but a Government cannot survive, if the house votes against its budget. Agreeing to vote for budget and taxation bills are the 'supply' portion of the 'confidence and supply' agreement that is the foundation of any coalition agreement. The budget focus now turns to select committees and what is called 'Scrutiny Week', when ministers appear before various subject committees to defend their budget plans. Scrutiny Week begins on 16 June. Slow seconds A second objective was possibly not in earlier plans for this week – to finally polish off the bills originally slated for completion two weeks ago during budget week urgency. Then, the Leader of the House had asked the house to accord urgency for 12 bills the Government hoped to progress through 30 stages of parliamentary debate. The plan was ambitious and it did not succeed. Despite day-long sittings until midnight Saturday (when urgency must end), only two bills were completed, others were untouched, and 13 stages were unfinished or unstarted. This week's plan for the house had MPs returning to the well for more of the same. Just like last time, progress was at a snail's pace. After quite a few hours, the Government had slugged its way through just a few more stages. The plan was slowed to a crawl by bills' committee stages (formally known as the Committee of the Whole House). Committee stages are a crucial way for MPs to publicly interrogate the minister in charge of a bill. With patience, they can tease out a lot about both a government's development of legislation and its intended real-world impacts. Because the committee stage has no set duration, it is also a way for the opposition to make the Government really work for progress. The Government did achieve progress on the bills left incomplete from budget week, but again, it was probably not what was hoped for. They will need to come back yet again in three weeks to have a third crack. The Opposition is showing itself to be quite effective at the filibuster. The Government's third objective was to have the debate on the recent Privileges Committee Report on three Te Pāti Māori MPs done by the week's end. As Leader of the House Chris Bishop said in re-initiating the debate: 'My encouragement would be for everybody to finish this debate today. 'Have a robust debate, but let's end this issue once and for all, and deal with the issue and get back to the major issues facing this country.' That wish was fulfilled with apparent agreement from across the house. As 6pm neared, the MP who eventually moved that a vote be taken was Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. The frankly fascinating debate on the report will be reported separately.
Scoop
15 hours ago
- Scoop
The House: Parliamentary Week Achieves Two Out Of Three Goals
, Editor: The House While Parliament's week was dominated by its final event - Thursday's debate on the report from the Privileges Committee into a haka performed in the chamber - the rest of the week focussed on other business that, while more mundane, was still worthy of note. The Government appeared to have three objectives for this week in the house. Crucial to the administration's continuance, the first goal was to successfully complete the initial debate on the budget. The long initial budget debate could no longer dribble on over weeks, so the house spent six hours of the week completing the second reading debate, which is the first debate a budget gets. The reading was accomplished and so the Government continues. This may sound silly, but a Government cannot survive, if the house votes against its budget. Agreeing to vote for budget and taxation bills are the 'supply' portion of the 'confidence and supply' agreement that is the foundation of any coalition agreement. The budget focus now turns to select committees and what is called 'Scrutiny Week', when ministers appear before various subject committees to defend their budget plans. Scrutiny Week begins on 16 June. Slow seconds A second objective was possibly not in earlier plans for this week - to finally polish off the bills originally slated for completion two weeks ago during budget week urgency. Then, the Leader of the House had asked the house to accord urgency for 12 bills the Government hoped to progress through 30 stages of parliamentary debate. The plan was ambitious and it did not succeed. Despite day-long sittings until midnight Saturday (when urgency must end), only two bills were completed, others were untouched, and 13 stages were unfinished or unstarted. This week's plan for the house had MPs returning to the well for more of the same. Just like last time, progress was at a snail's pace. After quite a few hours, the Government had slugged its way through just a few more stages. The plan was slowed to a crawl by bills' committee stages (formally known as the Committee of the Whole House). Committee stages are a crucial way for MPs to publicly interrogate the minister in charge of a bill. With patience, they can tease out a lot about both a government's development of legislation and its intended real-world impacts. Because the committee stage has no set duration, it is also a way for the opposition to make the Government really work for progress. The Government did achieve progress on the bills left incomplete from budget week, but again, it was probably not what was hoped for. They will need to come back yet again in three weeks to have a third crack. The Opposition is showing itself to be quite effective at the filibuster. The Government's third objective was to have the debate on the recent Privileges Committee Report on three Te Pāti Māori MPs done by the week's end. As Leader of the House Chris Bishop said in re-initiating the debate: "My encouragement would be for everybody to finish this debate today. "Have a robust debate, but let's end this issue once and for all, and deal with the issue and get back to the major issues facing this country." That wish was fulfilled with apparent agreement from across the house. As 6pm neared, the MP who eventually moved that a vote be taken was Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. The frankly fascinating debate on the report will be reported separately. - RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.
Scoop
17 hours ago
- Scoop
Full Speed Ahead For Fast-Track Projects
Press Release – New Zealand Government The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. Minister for Infrastructure Minister for RMA Reform Hon Shane Jones Minister for Regional Development Today marks four months since the Fast-track Approvals Act opened for project applications. The projects which have applied for Fast-track approvals could contribute 12,208 new homes and 1,136 new retirement units, if approved. On Friday, 6 June, associate panel convener Helen Atkins appointed the fourth expert panel to oversee the Milldale project. It's been four months since the Fast-track Approvals system opened for business and the statistics show strong progress toward making it quicker and easier to build the projects New Zealand needs for economic growth, RMA Reform and Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop and Regional Development Minister Shane Jones say. 'The Fast-track Approvals Act, part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First, was signed into law just before Christmas and opened for project applications on 7 February this year. The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that has, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,' Mr Bishop says. 'The Fast-track Approvals Act contains a list of 149 projects which, from 7 February, have been able to apply to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) for consideration by an expert panel. The expert panels consider each application, decide whether or not each project receives approval, and attach any necessary conditions to those approvals. 'In the four months since the Fast-track one-stop shop approvals regime officially opened for project applications, we've seen good progress on a range of applications for projects that, if approved, will grow New Zealand's economy and sort out our infrastructure deficit, housing crisis, and energy shortage, instead of tying essential projects up in knots for years at a time. 'As of this week, 15 substantive applications for listed projects have been lodged and found complete and within scope by the EPA. Of these, twelve applications have no competing applications or existing resource consents; two applications are undergoing checks for competing applications or existing resource consents; and one application was found to have an existing resource consent and can therefore not proceed any further through Fast-track. 'Eight of the 12 complete applications that are complete, within scope and with no competing applications or existing resource consents are being considered by the panel convenor who will soon establish expert panels for each project. 'Three are currently before expert panels for consideration, with a fourth expert panel being appointed on 6 June. These four projects are Delmore (residential subdivision and roading interchange in Orewa), (Maitahi Village (residential development including commercial centre and a retirement village in Nelson), Bledisloe North Wharf and Fergusson North Berth Extension (new and extended wharf facilities at Port of Auckland), Milldale (earthworks and site work for approximately 1,100 residential allotments). 'The first expert panels' final decisions are expected in mid-September this year. 'Projects not listed in the Act can also apply for referral to an expert panel through the same Fast-track website. Their applications go first to me as Infrastructure Minister for consideration, which includes inviting written comments from the Minister for the Environment and any other Ministers with relevant portfolios, before the deciding whether to refer the project for Fast-track. 'To date I have referred three projects to the Fast-track process, meaning they can now submit substantive applications to the EPA. These three projects are the Ayrburn Screen Hub (a film and television production facility) in Otago; Ashbourne (a development of 530 homes and 250 retirement units) in Waikato; and the Grampians Solar Project (a solar farm expected to generate 300 megawatts) in Canterbury.' 'As well as delivering a strong pipeline of projects into the future, Fast-track is well on track to deliver a much boost to the economy now, with up to 17 projects whose applications are underway expected to commence this year, if approved. This will be welcome news for the construction sector,' Mr Jones says. 'The projects that have applied for Fast-track approvals to date would contribute an additional 12,208 new homes across the Auckland, Nelson and Otago regions, and an additional 1,136 new retirement units in Auckland and Nelson.' Notes: In Fast-track's first four months there have been: Referral Applications · 3 projects referred by the Minister for Infrastructure – (can now apply for a substantive application): Ashbourne Ayrburn Screen Hub Grampians Solar Project Substantive Applications 15 substantive applications found to be complete, of those: 1 application found to have an existing resource consent – can no longer proceed 2 applications currently undergoing checks for competing applications / existing resource consents 12 projects found to be complete without competing applications or existing resource consents (all those that have gone to the Panel Convener prior to expert panel) With EPA for completeness, competing applications or existing resource consent checks: Kings Quarry Rangitoopuni 12 applications have gone to the Panel Convener, of those: 8 are with the panel convener to establish an expert panel 4 projects currently before expert panels, or have an expert panel appointed (have gone from the panel convener to the expert panel) With Panel Convener: Taranaki VTM Ryans Road Stella Passage Tekapo Power Scheme Waihi North Drury Sunfield Drury Quarry Expert Panels appointed for: Delmore Maitahi Bledisloe Milldale Content Sourced from Original url
