Public Service

Click here to return to the government summary.                   Click here to return to the policy homepage. 

• Close departments we don't need. Reduce bureaucracy. Return bureaucracy to non-political role. Limit cabinet to 12. Limit parliament to 100 MPs. (more here)

Not set out on their website.

• Labour is committed to implementing a modern, sustainable, WTO-compliant, procurement regime.
• Labour will review the existing components of government procurement to ensure they are fit for purpose, accessible and practicable. We will ensure they operate equitably with respect to access for Kiwi firms, in line with Australian Federal and State contracts.
• Labour will require government departments and agencies to undertake a wider (economic) analysis of the impact of its preferred provider on the domestic economy, rather than a narrower (financial) analysis when making procurement decisions.
• Labour will require companies providing goods and services to the government to have an apprenticeship/internship programme in place for NZ workers.
• Labour will require government departments and agencies to consider the design, size, sequencing of contracts to ensure they do not unnecessarily disadvantage Kiwi firms.
• Government departments and agencies will be expected to manage this policy within their existing base lines with no additional funding being allocated.
• Labour will, in the case of procurement contracts over $50m, require the production of an Industry Participation Plan (IPP), which sets out how Kiwi companies can play a bigger role.
• All IPPs must be approved by a newly established Industry Participation Group (IPG), which will be comprised of mostly private sector individuals. The IPG may also offer advice to parties in respect of any complaints and may also advise the Minister of Economic Development on any aspect of policy or implementation as they see fit. (more here)
• Labour will organise planned and deliberate engagement with business and community sector on new approaches for services.
• Labour will develop, within existing baselines, new roles for the State Services Commission as a quality manager and innovation supporter.
• Labour will ensure that the public service core capacity is rebuilt to enable it to be able to do the job its needs to: with quality, with resources, with ability to draw on whatever expertise is needed.
• Labour will negotiate a new tri-partite approach, between the Government, State Services Commission and Public Service Association, to improve the career public service.
• Labour will put in place a comprehensive programme to address the gender pay gap including within the state sector.
• Labour will, within 100 days of entering Government, issue an instruction to government agencies under the Public Finance Act 1989, which will prevent vendors double-dipping, stop silo thinking and allow systems to join up. (more here)

• Abandon the market-based provision of essential services such as electricity and water, and instead nationalise electricity and water supply companies. (more here)

• We will monitor cultural competency in all agencies to ensure the quality of services, and equity of access and outcomes to bring out well-being. Chief executives will be required to report six monthly on how they are progressing positive outcomes for whānau. Cultural competency will be an employment standard in justice, health, education and social services.
• Increase the pool of experienced Māori directors to provide better outcomes by requiring and reporting on Māori and Pacific representation on Crown Company Boards, State Owned Enterprises, Crown Entities, Crown Research Institutes and District Health Boards. TPK to provide training opportunities / governance.
• We will increase representation of Māori women and rangatahi Māori across all state sector appointments.
• Develop strategies to bring levels of salary for women to the same levels as their male counterparts for similar work.(more here)

• Keep the number of core government administration positions at no more than 36,475 FTEs.
• Find $980 million of savings over three years.
• Merge departments and other agencies, where those changes have the potential to improve the direction, focus and results of the public sector. (more here)

Not set out on their website.