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Public Service Act 2020

Preliminary provisions - Public service defined, purpose, public service principles, and spirit of service to community - Purpose, public service principles, and spirit of service to the community

12: Public service principles

You could also call this:

"Guidelines for a fair and honest public service"

To achieve the purpose outlined in section 11, you need to follow the public service principles. These principles are about being fair and unbiased, giving honest advice to Ministers, and making decisions based on merit. You should also be open with the public and take care of the public service.

You are responsible for taking care of the public service, its people, and its systems. This includes looking after its long-term capability, knowledge, and assets, as well as the laws it administers. Public service chief executives must follow these principles and make sure the agencies they lead do the same.

Interdepartmental executive boards and the boards of interdepartmental ventures are also responsible for upholding these principles. They must ensure that the agencies and ventures they lead follow the principles too. Boards of Crown agents must make sure the entities they govern follow the public service principles, as outlined in the Crown Entities Act 2004, and specifically section 58 of that Act.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS356871.

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11: Purpose, or

"The purpose of the public service is to support the Government and deliver services to you and your community."

Next

13: Spirit of service to community, or

"Helping the community is the main goal of the public service team in New Zealand."

Part 1Preliminary provisions
Public service defined, purpose, public service principles, and spirit of service to community: Purpose, public service principles, and spirit of service to the community

12Public service principles

  1. In order to achieve the purpose in section 11, the public service principles are:

    Politically neutral

  2. to act in a politically neutral manner; and

      1. Free and frank advice

    1. when giving advice to Ministers, to do so in a free and frank manner; and

        1. Merit-based appointments

      1. to make merit-based appointments (unless an exception applies under this Act); and

          1. Open government

        1. to foster a culture of open government; and

            1. Stewardship

          1. to proactively promote stewardship of the public service, including of—
            1. its long-term capability and its people; and
              1. its institutional knowledge and information; and
                1. its systems and processes; and
                  1. its assets; and
                    1. the legislation administered by agencies.

                    2. Public service chief executives are responsible for—

                    3. upholding the public service principles when carrying out their responsibilities and functions; and
                      1. ensuring that the agencies they lead or carry out some functions within also do so.

                        1. Interdepartmental executive boards are responsible for upholding the public service principles when carrying out their responsibilities and functions.

                        2. The boards of interdepartmental ventures are responsible for—

                        3. upholding the public service principles when carrying out their responsibilities and functions; and
                          1. ensuring that the interdepartmental ventures they lead also do so.

                            1. A chief executive, an interdepartmental executive board, and a board of an interdepartmental venture are responsible only to the Commissioner for carrying out the responsibility to uphold the public service principles under subsections (2) to (4).

                            2. Boards of Crown agents are responsible for ensuring that the entities they govern uphold the public service principles when carrying out their functions.

                            3. The responsibility of a board of a Crown agent under subsection (6) is a collective duty of the board under the Crown Entities Act 2004 that is owed only to the responsible Minister in accordance with section 58 of that Act.