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Public Service Act 2020

Preliminary provisions - Public service values, minimum standards of integrity and conduct, and New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 - Public service values and minimum standards of integrity and conduct

16: Public service values

You could also call this:

"What the public service aims to do: be fair, responsible, and respectful to everyone."

The public service values are what the public service aims to follow. You can think of these values as a guide for how the public service should work. The public service values are to seek to be impartial, which means to treat all people fairly, without personal favour or bias.

The public service also seeks to be accountable, which means to take responsibility and answer for its work, actions, and decisions. It aims to be trustworthy by acting with integrity and being open and transparent.

The public service values also include being respectful, which means to treat all people with dignity and compassion and act with humility, and being responsive, which means to understand and meet people’s needs and aspirations. These values are put into action through minimum standards set by the Commissioner.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=LMS356878.

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Part 1Preliminary provisions
Public service values, minimum standards of integrity and conduct, and New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990: Public service values and minimum standards of integrity and conduct

16Public service values

  1. The public service values are to seek—

    Impartial

  2. to treat all people fairly, without personal favour or bias:

      1. Accountable

    1. to take responsibility and answer for its work, actions, and decisions:

        1. Trustworthy

      1. to act with integrity and be open and transparent:

          1. Respectful

        1. to treat all people with dignity and compassion and act with humility:

            1. Responsive

          1. to understand and meet people’s needs and aspirations.

            1. The public service values are given effect to only through minimum standards set by the Commissioner.