Public Sector Ethos

A breach of political neutrality?

Is it appropriate to have advisers appointed by and accountable to the Minister and not the Chief Executive of the department who is funding them? The PSA has asked the Auditor General to investigate.
Listen to the discussion on Morning Report

Curran inquiry

Report released

SSC releases findings on whether there was political interference in the decision to award a contract to a party activist. Report

Auditor-General guidelines

The PSA was surprised to learn that the Auditor General had developed guidelines on managing conflicts of interest - and even more surprised at some of the content. Guidelines

"The guidelines that refer to personal views, opinions and beliefs of public servants and the people with whom they live , I believe is a step too far," PSA national secretary Brenda Pilott said on Checkpoint, 25 July 2007.

PSA calls for clarity

The PSA says greater clarity is needed for public servants who have a politically active partner or family member. More

Political neutrality

Guidelines on political neutrality from State Services Commission

Click to read

Political neutrality and the rights of citizens

Chris Eichbaum, senior lecturer at Victoria University, explores the tensions between political neutrality and citizenship rights. Go here

Political advisers

A PSA Journal article considers the impact of political advisers on political neutrality. Read here

PSA Ethics Network

The PSA’s Ethics Network exists to develop and promote a members' perspective on public sector ethics.
Go here

NZ Public Service least corrupt

The Public Service continues to rank as the least corrupt in the world according to the latest Transparancy International survey. Survey

"Whistleblowing" law

A PSA guide to the Protected Disclosures Act. More

Code of conduct

SSC releases a code of conduct for the whole state sector. Code

Comment on new code

PSA national secretary Brenda Pilott and the State Services Commissioner comment on the new code of conduct. More

Bullying a concern

The PSA comments on the findings of the integrity and conduct survey. More

Integrity and conduct survey

A survey unearths concerns about some aspects of workplace behaviour. SSC survey page.