2 July 2021

Mr Danny Attwood
[FYI request #15369 email]

Dear Mr Attwood
Official Information Request
Our Ref: OIA 2021-0044
I refer to your official information request received on 5 May 2021 for:
“Fol owing Minister Hipkin's announcement of 5 May 2021 that pay increases wil  be frozen for a
term of three years for al  public sector staff of a certain salary level, I would like to request the
fol owing information under the OIA:
-  A copy of al  decision, advice and options papers/documents considered by the Minister
regarding this matter, including memos, aides memoire, briefing papers and written advice”.

On 1 June 2021 we wrote to notify you of an extension of the time to make our decision, to 2 July
2021. The extension was necessary because your request captures a large quantity of information
and consultation with a number of parties was needed to make a decision on your request, therefore
a proper response could not reasonably meet the original time limit.

Information being released

On 5 May 2021, fol owing a Cabinet decision on 12 April 2021, the Minister for the Public Service issued
a Government Workforce Policy Statement (Workforce Policy) setting out the Government's
expectations of how it wants the Public Service and most other public sector agencies to effectively
manage employment relations.

The Workforce Policy sets out the Government’s expectation that the Public Service is an exemplar
employer, one which uses modern, progressive employment practices, and is a great place to work.
It also wants a productive unified workforce which is grounded in the spirit of service.

To achieve these goals, the Workforce Policy has four key workforce priorities:
•  Employ people fairly, equitably and in a way that al ows them to live good lives and
participate in the economy.
•  Work col aboratively with unions and other groups to achieve shared goals.
•  Create an inclusive environment for al  workers with the aim of achieving a diverse workforce.
•  Achieve the goals within the fiscal context of the Government.
The final priority is particularly important in the COVID-19 environment and the public sector needs
to be mindful of the fiscal context the Government is operating in.
Level 10, RBNZ Building |   2 The Terrace | PO Box 329
Wel ington 6140 | New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 6600

With these fiscal conditions continuing, the Government has been clear that pay restraint needs to
continue to be exercised across the Public Service for the foreseeable future.

To help agencies to give effect to the Government’s expectation of pay restraint, the Public Service
Commissioner issued Public Service Pay Guidance to Public Service agencies on how he expects they
wil  approach these matters. He has asked other public sector organisations to take the same
approach.

Please find listed in the table below reports and advice that relates to the Government Workforce
Policy Statement and the Public Service Pay Guidance that was announced and released on 5 May
2021.

We will be publishing these documents on Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website
and providing you with the link to the location by 8 July 2021.

Item
Report Number
Document Description
    SSC2020/0057
REPORT: Managing remuneration pressures in the State Services
    2020/0161
JOINT REPORT:  Update on the State Sector Employment Relations Environment
– September 2020
    2021/0025
Update on Government Workforce Policy Statement
    2021/0087
REPORT: Approval of the Government Workforce Policy Statement on
employment relations and timing of release
    2020/0201
REPORT: Information release of the 2020 Workforce Data
    2021/0044
AIDE MEMOIRE: Oral item: Pay Restraint in the Public Sector
    2021/0021
REPORT: Updated Employment Relations Expectations: Government Workforce

Policy Statement (GWPS) for the public sector
    Not applicable
CABINET PAPER: Government Workforce Policy Statement
    CAB-21-MIN-0103
MINUTE: Government Workforce Policy Statement for the Public Sector
    SWC-21-MIN-0039
MINUTE: Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee Minute of Decision – Government
Workforce Policy Statement for the Public Sector

We have decided to release the relevant parts of the documents listed above, subject to information
being withheld under one or more of the fol owing sections of the OIA, as applicable:
•
9(2)(a) - to the protect the privacy of natural persons,
•
9(2)(f)(iv) – to maintain the constitutional conventions for the time being which protect the

confidentiality of advice tendered by Ministers of the Crown and officials
•
9(2)(g)(i)  –  to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank

of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation or

officers and employees of any public service agency in the course of their duty
•
9(2)(j) – enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or organisation holding

the information  to  carry  on,  without  prejudice  or  disadvantage,  negotiations  (including

commercial and industrial negotiations).

In addition, some information has been deleted where it is not within the scope of your request.
Please find listed in the table below reports and advice that also comes within scope of your request,
that we have decided to withhold in full under the fol owing sections of the OIA:
•
9(2)(g)(i)  -  to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank
of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation or
officers and employees of any public service agency in the course of their duty
•
section  9(2)(j)  -  to  enable a Minister of the Crown or any public service agency or
organisation  holding  the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage,
negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).
Item
Report Number  Document Description
SSC2020/0078
JOINT REPORT: Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector Employment Relations
SSC2020/0087
Joint SSC/Treasury Aide Memoire: MOGSSER Meeting of 7 May 2020
SSC2020/0108
REPORT: June MOGSSER papers
2020/0202
JOINT REPORT: Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector Employment Relations
(MOGSSER)
2021/0054
REPORT: 14 April Papers for the Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector
Employment Relations MOGSSER
2021/0066
JOINT REPORT: Context for potential inclusion of "middle earners: within
expectations of public sector pay restraint
2021/0022
JOINT REPORT: 17 February 2021 Papers for the Ministerial Oversight Group on State
Sector Employment Relations (MOGSSER).
Please find listed in the table below reports and advice that also come within scope of your request
and are already publicly available on Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website here.
Item
Report Number  Document Description
18
SSC2020/0005
REPORT: Labour Cost Index (LCI) Results – December 2019 quarter
19
SSC2020/0070
AIDE MEMOIRE: Pay restraint talking points for CBC meeting
20
SSC2020/0074
REPORT:  Amendment to the Remuneration Authority Act 1977
21
SSC2020/0079
REPORT: Pay restraint in the public sector - Remuneration Authority (COVID 19) Bill
22
2020/0155
REPORT: Labour costs index results - June 2020
23
2020/0196
REPORT: September Quarter LCI
24
2021/0013
REPORT: Labour Cost Index Results - December 2020
25
SSC2020/0005
REPORT: Labour Cost Index (LCI) Results – December 2019 quarter
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to contact
[email address].

You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision.
Information about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
freephone 0800 802 602.
Please note that we intend to publish this letter (with your personal details removed) on the Te Kawa
Mataaho Public Service Commission’s website.

Yours sincerely

Nicky Dirks
Manager – Ministerial and Executive Services
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission

Document Outline