2 April 2026
Hayden
[FYI request #34106 email]
Dear Hayden
Official Information Request
Our Ref: OIA 2026-0057
I refer to your Official Information Act 1982 (OIA) request received on 16 March 2026 asking:
1. How the Public Service Commissioner assesses whether chief executives are meeting
their obligation under section 52 of the Public Service Act 2020 to provide advice to
their Minister on the "long-term implications of policies" specifical y in relation to
cross-portfolio impacts such as the health or mortality consequences of economic
policy decisions.
2. Whether any chief executive performance review since the Public Service Act 2020
came into force has assessed the quality of cross-portfolio impact advice, particularly
where policy decisions in one portfolio (e.g., Finance, Social Development)
foreseeably affect outcomes in another (e.g., Health).
3. Any guidance issued by the Commissioner under section 12 of the Public Service Act
2020 regarding the stewardship obligation as it applies to cross-portfolio health or
mortality impacts of economic policy.
4. Whether the Commissioner has identified, in any review of the state of the public
service, a gap in cross-agency coordination on the health or mortality impacts of
economic, fiscal, or monetary policy.
5. Any assessment of whether the "spirit of service to the community" under section 13,
and the stewardship principle under section 12, require agencies to proactively
advise ministers when policy decisions in their portfolio may increase mortality or
health system demand even where another agency nominal y "owns" the affected
outcome.
Information being released - Parts one, three and four
The Public Service Commissioner (the Commissioner) reviews the performance of Public
Service chief executives through a process of setting annual performance expectations and
then completing an annual performance review against those expectations, including
receiving advice from responsible ministers on performance. Al legislative responsibilities
of the chief executive fall within scope of the performance review process. This includes
responsibilities under legislation the agency administers, as well as those set out in section
52 of the Public Service Act 2020. Ministerial input into the performance review process is
particularly important, both in setting performance expectations and reviewing
performance against those expectations.
Level 10, Te Iho | 1 Lambton Quay | PO Box 329
Wellington 6140 | New Zealand
Phone +64 4 495 6600
Part three
The Commissioner has issued a Code of Conduct for the public sector which is supported
by principles guidance which can be found on the Commission’s website. However, there is
no guidance issued that applies specifical y to the health and mortality impacts of
economic policy.
Part four
In December 2025, the Commissioner published th
e State of the Public Service – Te Kahu
Tuatini (the report). The Commissioner did not specifically review cross agency
coordination on the health or mortality impacts of economic, fiscal, or monetary policy.
You may be interested in knowing that in the report, the Commissioner noted that the
future of the public service may see agencies better organised around citizens. This
approach would see grouping agencies with like functions to support policy cohesion and
leadership.
Information does not exist - Parts two and five
Chief executive performance reviews do not include detailed assessments of specific pieces
of policy advice, and as such, do not consider the quality of cross-portfolio impact. Insights
on the quality of an agency’s policy advice are gained through a range of mechanisms
including the reporting required by agencies with policy appropriations (s
ee Agency panels
and quality reporting - (DPMC)) who must report against the
Policy Quality Framework and
the results of thei
r Ministerial Policy Satisfaction Survey. There is no assessment of whether the “spirit of service to the community” and the
stewardship principle require agencies to proactively advise Ministers when policy
decisions in their portfolio may increase mortality or health system demand.
I am therefore refusing parts two and five of your request under s 18(e) of the OIA, on the
grounds the information does not exist.
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 response (with your personal details removed)
on the Commission’s website.
Yours sincerely
Nicky Dirks
Manager – Ministerial and Executive Services
Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission
