Fixing the public service without forgetting the basics

Judith Collins has announced reforms to simplify and focus the public service on results. (Image: NZME)

Thu, 03 Apr 2025

Minister for the Public Service Judith Collins is right. The public service needs a reset.The number of public servants has grown significantly since 2017, yet few would argue that services have improved.The Government’s just-announced move to amend the Public Service Act 2020 is well-judged.New Zealanders expect public service to deliver better results with the resources it has, but at the moment, it isn’t. Even if it is in pockets, it is hard to either scale that or explain it coherently and evidentially.The 2020 act added layers...

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