Let me explore the shift in central agency leadership and its implications for public sector governance. The whakataukī “He niho tō te paraoa” offers a profound insight into public service leadership—it’s not just about having authority but about having the institutional experience and capacity to exercise it effectively. This metaphor perfectly captures the current moment…

Let me analyse the crucial issues of public service leadership appointments, merit, and constitutional governance. The metaphor at the heart of the whakataukī above, of needing to manage “between heaven and earth” perfectly captures the unique complexity of public service chief executive roles. These aren’t simply senior management positions – they don’t just exist in…

I’m not posting that much at the moment. I am writing. But this hypothesis above has my attention. Let me examine the crucial dynamic between political and administrative spheres in public sector reform. The Better Public Services program offers an instructive example of how the political-administrative interface should work. Its success wasn’t just about managerial…

Let’s discuss ACT’s proposal to set KPIs for public service chief executives. As someone who’s spent years studying public sector governance, I can see both merit and significant risks in this approach. First, let’s acknowledge the timing. Yes, it’s appropriate for a new government to reset its relationship with the administrative executive. As the whakataukī…

The term civil service was coined in 1785 to describe the non-military or civilian roles undertaken by the East India Company. For those of you who don’t know the history, the company was formed in 1600 to exploit East and Southeast Asia as well as India. The term was subsequently borrowed to mean all the…

The IPANZ New Professionals asked me to speak to them about political nous. I focussed on how to move quietly and effectively in the poneketanga without becoming political. I began by defining the poneketanga as the purple zone: the space between the political and administrative authorising environment. I reminded the group that public institutions are…

The past week has been a reminder of the practical skill and experience required of public servants during an election year. https://thespinoff.co.nz/business/01-03-2023/the-dangers-of-clout-chasing-company-directors-radicalised-on-linkedin As the whakataukī above reminds us, there is nothing like the experience of those on the ground. I’ve been lucky enough to work in ministerial offices in election years and the central agencies….

This is one of my favourite whakataukī. I first saw it used by Te Ohu Kaimoana to bring iwi together to complete the fisheries settlement. In watching that work, I think the whakataukī means to let the shadows fall behind us, so we may see one another’s faces. It’s our version of sunlight being the…

Stuff asked me about a research project that revealed inconsistent, slow and problematic responses to information requests. I made the point that we need to urgently fix the OIA.

Suppose you are working in public policy right now. In that case, you will know that the most precious commodity is not information – information is abundant. Nor is it knowledge – there is an oversupply of competent advisers – many of whom have a strong opinion or a long-held view and are confident in…

Today, you have 104 days or 2,496 hours before the pre-election period starts. And while it is critically important for the public service to remain politically neutral, it is crucial to start thinking about how to best support a new Government*. It is an exciting time and an extraordinary privilege to help a new Government…

In reviewing all the Performance Improvement Review reports, my overwhelming conclusion is this – while many of our public institutions are adept at managing urgent and short-term issues and the daily priorities of Ministers, they are less successful at building strong and enduring public institutions whosepurpose and roles are clear and whose core business is…