He Māramatanga: A perspective

18/09/2023

Speaking as a public policy expert, here’s my analysis of the current political landscape. I have offered this advice to several clients. They are happy for me to offer it here – to you.

The recent political rhetoric around cutting public services deserves careful examination. Not because of the predictable election-time theatrics but because it strikes at something fundamental: the machinery of good governance that keeps our society functioning.

Let’s be direct about what’s at stake. Over the decades, Aotearoa New Zealand’s public institutions have built up significant trust capital. This isn’t just feel-good rhetoric—it’s a concrete economic and social asset. When overseas investors, trading partners, and governments deal with New Zealand, they do so with confidence in our systems’ reliability and integrity. Local businesses interacting with government agencies expect consistent, fair treatment. When communities engage with public services, they trust they’ll be treated equitably.

This institutional trust didn’t happen by accident. It’s built on two crucial pillars: an ethical, non-partisan public service and demonstrated competence in delivery. Both matter enormously.

An ethical but ineffective public service won’t maintain public confidence. Similarly, an efficient but partisan public service would fundamentally undermine our democratic institutions.

The current political promises to significantly reduce public service numbers in specific policy areas reveal a concerning misunderstanding of how effective governance works.

You can’t simply strip out the parts of government you ideologically disagree with and expect the rest to function smoothly. Government departments are interconnected systems, not menu items to pick and choose from.

However, this doesn’t mean the public service is beyond criticism or reform—quite the opposite. The public service must continuously evolve to meet changing community needs and expectations. When it fails to do so, it creates a vacuum that politicians naturally seek to fill with alternative delivery models – some of which might be less transparent and accountable than what we currently have.

The ACT Party’s recognition of the public service’s vital role is noteworthy, mainly because of its focus on institutional performance. However, the real test will be in the details of implementation. Central agencies will indeed need to step up. Still, they’ll need to balance multiple competing demands: maintaining institutional integrity while driving change, ensuring efficiency while preserving essential capabilities, and managing political expectations while protecting the principles of impartial public service.

This transformation won’t be uniform or simple. Some changes will be straightforward improvements to systems and processes. Others will require a fundamental rethinking of how services are delivered. The key will be maintaining institutional integrity while embracing necessary change – no small task in our current political climate.

What’s often lost in these discussions is that public service reform isn’t just about efficiency or cost-cutting. It’s about ensuring our institutions effectively serve an increasingly diverse Aotearoa New Zealand while maintaining the trust that makes good governance possible.

That’s the real challenge ahead.