140 days and counting: Where is the new Public Service Commissioner?

Wednesday, 17 July 2024

The former public service commissioner Peter Hughes retired in February and has not been replaced.

More than 140 days after applications closed, the Government has yet to appoint a new Public Service Commissioner.

Rumour has spread through Wellington that the Government parties -- National, ACT, NZ First -- have been unable to settle on a suitable candidate for the public service czar to replace Peter Hughes, who retired in February after eight years in the job.

But the Government is tight-lipped and has kept the appointment process tightly-held. It remains unclear whether the parties are truly at odds, or if it has simply been difficult finding a suitable candidate that fits the wants of all three.

Public Service Minister Nicola Willis declined to comment.

Labour leader Chris Hipkins had not yet been consulted about a nominee chosen for the job, as required by the Public Service Act.

Public Service Minister Nicola Willis has been running the process to appoint the new public service commissioner, but ultimately it will be for Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to put forward the nominee to the Governor-General.

“The fact that they haven't is clearly a sign that they either aren't on top of the process, or they can't reach an agreement,” he told The Post.

But Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said in an interview last week he knew of no difference of opinion between the coalition parties.

“I know of none because we haven't made a decision.”

He said that an appointment was taking months was “not unusual, I suppose”.

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Labour leader Chris Hipkins said the Government possibly unable to reach agreement about who the new public service commissioner should be.

The uncertainty over who will take the job comes after a series of important appointments: Ben King as chief executive of Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Bede Corry as head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and Brook Barrington as the new defence secretary.

But other important vacancies will need to be filled, in particular the Treasury Secretary. Current secretary Dr Caralee McLiesh will return to Australia when her contract ends in September, and deputy chief executive Struan Little will cover the top job while an appointment is found.

Sir Brian Roche is a name often mentioned as a prime candidate for commissioner, as it was before Hughes was appointed commissioner by a National Government in 2016. Media reports have speculated that Roche could be a contender since Hughes announced his intended retirement.

Roche, a public service heavyweight who also has considerable commercial experience, has previously lead NZ Post and been chairperson of the New Zealand Transport Agency.

He was also chairperson of Antarctica New Zealand as the organisation handled the Scott Base redevelopment, which Peters has now criticised for cost blow outs. Peters announced a new chairperson for the Antarctic NZ board, Leon Grice, in February, noting briefly that Roche had recently resigned from the organisation after a decade.

Roche did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday.

Brian Roche, left, in sunglasses, has extensive public sector experience and during the Covid-19 pandemic conducted reviews into Government responses to the crisis.

Brendan Boyle, a former Ministry of Social Development chief executive who does chief executive coaching and is on the Otago University council, has also been raised as a prospect.

However, in 2017, Boyle was embroiled in claims made by Peters, and subsequent unsuccessful court action, over the leaking of details of a superannuation overpayment Peters had received in error.

Boyle declined to comment.

Naomi Ferguson, a former Inland Revenue chief executive, has also been floated as a potential candidate.

Ferguson has resigned from the Te Whatu Ora board, the Ministry of Health has confirmed, and the ministry has declined to comment on why. She has retained her position as chair of the Education Payroll board.

Ferguson was unable to be reached on Tuesday.

The current acting public service commissioner, deputy commissioner Heather Baggott, has been running the appointment process alongside the commission’s “chief executive on assignment” Gaye Searancke, meaning both are thought not to be in contention.

Rebecca Kitteridge, a deputy commissioner who was until recently was interim head of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, has previously featured in speculation about possible candidates, but has not contended for the position.

Other senior public servants with possibly suitable experience include Andrew Kibblewhite, who has previously headed the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and now leads the Ministry of Justice.