2 July 2021
Mr Jake Pollock
mailto:[email address]
[FYI request #15391 email]
Dear Mr Pollock
Official Information Request
I refer to your official information request dated 7 May 2021 for:
“information held by Minister Hipkins' office on the public sector pay freeze, including any advice
received by the minister, communications and records of meetings between the minister and
officials regarding the pay freeze, and anything else pertinent to the decision (including who the
decision was taken by)”.
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, following a Cabinet decision on 12 April 2021, I 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 allows them to live good lives and
participate in the economy.
Work collaboratively with unions and other groups to achieve shared goals.
Create an inclusive environment for all 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.
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 issue
d Public Service Pay Guidance to Public Service agencies on how he expects
they will 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 I received 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
2
2020/0161
JOINT REPORT: Update on the State Sector Employment Relations Environment
– September 2020
3
2021/0025
Update on Government Workforce Policy Statement
4
2021/0087
REPORT: Approval of the Government Workforce Policy Statement on
employment relations and timing of release
5
2020/0201
REPORT: Information release of the 2020 Workforce Data
6
2021/0044
AIDE MEMOIRE: Oral item: Pay Restraint in the Public Sector
7
2021/0021
REPORT: Updated Employment Relations Expectations: Government Workforce
Policy Statement (GWPS) for the public sector
8
Not applicable
CABINET PAPER: Government Workforce Policy Statement
9
CAB-21-MIN-0103
MINUTE: Government Workforce Policy Statement for the Public Sector
10
SWC-21-MIN-0039
MINUTE: Cabinet Social Wellbeing Committee Minute of Decision – Government
Workforce Policy Statement for the Public Sector
I have decided to release the relevant parts of the documents listed above, subject to information
being withheld under one or more of the following 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 following 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
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
11
SSC2020/0078
JOINT REPORT: Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector Employment Relations
12
SSC2020/0087
Joint SSC/Treasury Aide Memoire: MOGSSER Meeting of 7 May 2020
13
SSC2020/0108
REPORT: June MOGSSER papers
14
2020/0202
JOINT REPORT: Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector Employment Relations
(MOGSSER)
15
2021/0054
REPORT: 14 April Papers for the Ministerial Oversight Group on State Sector
Employment Relations MOGSSER
16
2021/0066
JOINT REPORT: Context for potential inclusion of "middle earners: within
expectations of public sector pay restraint
17
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 websi
te 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
Also, publicly availabl
e here on the Beehive website are copies of my Ministerial Diary. Accordingly,
I have refused your request for the documents listed in the above table, and details of my meeting
records under section 18(d) of the OIA on the grounds the information requested is publicly
available.
If you wish to discuss this decision with us, please feel free to Christina Connolly
[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.
Yours sincerely
Chris Hipkins
Minister for the Public Service
