Source: PSA
The Government’s proposed changes to the Public Service Act, to be debated in Parliament today, aim to strip away key provisions that ensure fairness, equality and long-term planning in the public sector.
Under the proposed amendments, detailed in the Public Service Amendment Bill, diversity and inclusion, pay equity and long-term planning would be downgraded.
“This is a new low from the Government. It now wants to tell chief executives of Government departments that they are not to focus on the long-term public interest, this is reckless given that the complex problems New Zealand’s facing need long term policy solutions,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, National Secretary for the Public Service Association Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi.
“This approach will limit New Zealand’s ability to solve complicated problems like climate change adaptation, family violence and our infrastructure deficit.”
The Public Service Amendment Bill also scraps requirements on pay equity. It would remove responsibilities for chief executives and the Public Service Commissioner to work towards pay equity between women and men, and to work towards eliminating bias and discrimination in decisions about pay.
“Pay equity is about fairness and justice for workers and includes ensuring flexible and part time work is available. The Government has already ripped up pay equity claims, denying pay increases for more than 150,000 women in the public and community sectors. Taking away its priority in this legislation again shows how little the Government values supporting the career of women and closing the gender pay gap.”
The Bill would also remove requirements on chief executives and the Public Service Commissioner to foster a public service that’s inclusive and representative of the communities it serves.
“Diversity and inclusion in our workforce are not nice to haves – they are essential to delivering fair and effective public services that are sensitive to the needs of all New Zealanders. The public service does its job well and is legitimate because it represents our diverse country. Reducing the importance of these principles risks turning back decades of progress.”
The PSA is also alarmed by amendments to the purpose of the Public Service Act which would reduce emphasis on pursuing the long-term public interest, and remove the requirement of the public service to enable both the current Government and successive governments to develop and implement their policies.
“This is a worrying attack on the political neutrality of the public service and makes it less accountable to the people of New Zealand. Public services must look beyond the next political cycle. Downgrading the public service’s role in pursuing the long-term public interest means less focus on how our public service can meet future challenges – whether that’s dealing with an ageing population, infrastructure challenges, adapting to new technology, or responding to climate change.
“The Government has stripped the public service of thousands of jobs despite our population growing, and our challenges becoming more complex and urgent.
“The Bill was tabled on the same day the Government extended a tax break for big tobacco, showing how misplaced its priorities are.
“This is a time to invest in a fairer, more future-focused public service – not tear down the progress we’ve made. It’s 2025, not 1955.”
