New Zealand
The New Zealand government has established a set of national priority targets. Here is the first update. Several measures are still going in the wrong direction. Treasury, in their briefing on targets, noted that the advantage of targets is that they create a sense of urgency but cautioned that the narrow focus on a target can result in actions that miss the point of what is trying to be achieved...
Beyond Westminster?: 2023 Edition
An assessment of the health of the Westminster government in New Zealand. A comment that resonated was "If the PM and his advisors cannot extract Cabinet out of the detail, they will become a deeply operational Cabinet, and in doing so undermine the public service’s independence and capability". This sounds familiar!..
This book chapter is written by Wayne Eagleson who was the Chief of Staff to John Key, the New Zealand Prime Minister. It is worth reading to help you understand what it takes to knit the system together...
Waiting for a new government in New Zealand - what can be expected
This article includes the following quote from Bill English - “If there’s a strong focus on delivery, then you’ll find the doers shuffle to the front eventually, and the talkers shuffle off because they don’t have the skill set to deliver.”..
Transparency International - Corruption Perceptions Index
Australia has climbed six places to be 13th while New Zealand remains third ranked country. Hopefully, this is the beginning of Australia’s climb back into the top 10 countries...
New Zealand Public Service Commission Annual Report
‘Trust and confidence in the Public Service is our preeminent measure of success’ - read the Commissioner’s overview...
New Zealand's first emissions reduction plan
Here is a link to the table of actions to be taken by each Department to help meet the New Zealand emissions reduction plan. Australians should scan this to see what is coming your way...
Public Participation in Government in the Future
New Zealand now requires Departments to publish ‘Long Term Insight Briefings’ on topics of importance to the future of the country. This consultation draft is one of the first. It is a ground-breaking document in many ways and a good sign for the future of a healthy democracy...
New Zealand Public Service Commissioner's defence of the neutrality of the Public Service
Former Minister Peter Dunne has criticised the political neutrality of the Director-General of Health and the New Zealand Police Commissioner. This is a significant development in New Zealand, which has largely avoided the politicisation of the Public Service. Peter Hughes, the New Zealand Public Service Commissioner, has publicly defended the New Zealand Public Service...
Australia vs New Zealand. You can tell a lot about a country by the way it budgets
An interesting analysis about the similarities and differences in the recent Budgets in Australia and New Zealand. The author suggests that Australia should again look at the merits of a wellbeing framework...
New Zealand passes landmark new public service legislation
New Zealand has quietly passed a major reform of their public service legislation which provides more flexibility and more cohesion across the public service. It also enshrines in law the emphasis on service to New Zealanders and communities. This is the most impactful reform to any public service legislation in recent times...
New Zealand Public Sector Reputation Survey
An annual survey which measures the reputation of individual Public Sector Agencies. It complements the Kiwis Count survey conducted by the State Services Commission which measures trust in the New Zealand Public Service. Australian jurisdictions should copy both of these...
Mental health and child poverty focus in the NZ Wellbeing Budget
An explanation of what the priorities are; what is different in the wellbeing budget and a summary of the economic outlook...
New Zealand's Wellbeing Budget
Here is a link to the NZ Treasury website. It is worth a scan. The first page breaks down the investments across the 5 National priorities and an additional priority "Investing in New Zealand'. Under the heading 'Wellbeing Budget' they explain how the process differed from previous Budgets...
NZ Minister for Finance Press Release announcing the date of the first Well-being Budget
This provides some more details about the five national priorities and makes it clear that Ministers are collectively responsible for delivering on the five priorities...
New Zealand's well-being approach to budget is not new, but could shift major issues
On the 30th May New Zealand will bring down its first Well-Being Budget. They have identified five national priorities and shaped the Budget around these. ACT has already announced that they will follow. Watch this space...
New Zealand commits to a 'Well-being Budget'
Prime Minister Ardern has announced that the 2019 Budget will use the 'Living Standards Framework' to gauge the long term impact of any new policy proposal upon people's lives...
Proposed changes to the State Sector Act in New Zealand
New Zealand is considering changes to the State Sector Act. They are seeking comments from the public on the proposed changes. The suggested changes around the proposed Purpose of the NZ Public Service are quite important. There are also proposed changes to how the public sector will organise itself...
New Zealand removes performance bonuses for public sector bosses
New Zealand has removed the performance bonuses for senior public servants. This is part of a broader trend in New Zealand to dampen the level of remuneration at the top end of the public sector. I predict that there is further to go and that this trend (paying more attention to community expectations when considering the remuneration of the most highly paid in the public sector) will spread to Australia...
International Civil Service Effectiveness rankings
The recent rankings have just been released. New Zealand is second and Australia third in the international rankings. The rankings are of National Civil Services. It is worth scanning the results to see where each country is seen as strong and why...
In an unprecedented move, Peter Hughes has written to Members of Parliament asking them to desist from publicly attacking the Chief Executive of the Health department noting that public servants are not in a position to defend themselves against such attacks...
New Zealand establishes new Better Public Service targets
NZ has established 10 new Better Public Service targets as the key priorities for their government and for the public service. You should read and digest these. They continue to post the results of the previous 10 targets...
Diversity and Inclusion: Why it Works at Work
Speech by Gabriel Makhlouf, Secretary to the NZ Treasury. NZ Treasury has established a target ‘diversity profile’ (gender and ethnic diversity) and in this speech Gabs outlines what actions they have taken, what has worked and why...
Chief Executive pay rates in New Zealand
Looking to move to New Zealand? This article provides the pay rates for the Public Service Chief Executives in New Zealand...
Social Investment lifts Better Public Services in New Zealand
Press release giving the latest update on New Zealand’s progress against their 10 National priorities. Includes a link to the detailed results...
Dealing with difficult Ministers and/or their offices
Summary of advice given in a recent speech by Andrew Kibblewhite, the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet...
Public sector transition – to what?
New Zealand is expanding its ‘investment’ approach to new areas. A very good article – this is coming your way!..
New Zealand - latest report card on the ten priorities
Reduced crime, less welfare dependency and improved education results...
Minister Bill English's address to an Australian audience
All his key themes are there – using data, putting the customer at the centre and taking an investment approach...
New Zealand budget at a glance. Worth a look...
Forget the cricket: NZ streaks ahead in policy
This article, from The Age, picks up on last months article by Michael Fullilove on the importance of exceptional leadership...