Ruth Dyson says she will be reviewing her social media content after queries over political neutrality. Photo / File
Ruth Dyson says she will be reviewing her social media content after queries over political neutrality. Photo / File
Another public servant is being questioned over their criticism of the National Party following similar comments made by Rob Campbell and Steve Maharey.
Ruth Dyson, a former Labour MP and current deputy chair of Fire and Emergency NZ, told a select committee this morning she would be reviewing her social media engagement after questions were raised regarding some of her social media posts.
In a Twitter post after National Party leader Christopher Luxon’s Waitangi address last month, Dyson jibed that some cruel junior staffer had given him the wrong speech.
Dyson promised to review her social media engagement during her select committee appearance.
“I will be reviewing my social media content particularly,” she said.
“I would do nothing to damage the integrity of Fire and Emergency New Zealand.”
Asked by National MP Simeon Brown whether she believed her tweet regarding Luxon’s speech, Dyson restated her intention to review her content and reflect on whether it “meets the standard”.
Dyson’s account information says she was a former Labour MP and was “still Labour”.
When Brown questioned her on whether that was appropriate, Dyson was strong in her view it was.
“It absolutely appropriate to say that I was a former labour member of Parliament and just to make it clear I’m still Labour.
“That does not affect my ability to be politically neutral when engaging in board activities.”
Dyson said she hadn’t raised the matter with Internal Affairs Minister Barbara Edmonds, saying her content review would occur first.
It comes as Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes says he will write to all board chairs of Crown entities to remind them of their impartiality requirements following politically charged comments made by board chairs Rob Campbell and Steve Maharey.
Hughes, appearing before the Governance and Administration Select Committee this morning, confirmed Public Service Minister Andrew Little had requested he writes to Crown entity board chairs and Hughes confirmed he would so, despite saying he believed the “vast majority” know their impartiality obligations and meet them.
Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes. Photo / Supplied
Hughes also revealed he had provided advice to Little regarding Maharey, who has offered to resign from at least one of his chair roles which include Pharmac, ACC and Education NZ.
Maharey, a former Labour minister, criticised the National Party in a January comment piece.
Hughes, who faced a 16-minute volley of questions from Brown to open the select committee, said he would not discuss what his advice was to Little as it was under “active consideration”.
Hughes intended to speak publicly to his advice “as soon as possible”, with the hope it could be later today depending on Little’s actions.
Last week, Rob Campbell was sacked from his positions as chairman of Te Whatu Ora/Health New Zealand and the Environmental Protection Authority after he published a LinkedIn post criticising National’s Three Waters strategy and charging the party with a “dog whistle on co-governance”.
In subsequent media interviews, Campbell had doubled-down on his comments and even claimed hypocrisy in how he was treated compared with Maharey.
Pharmac and ACC chair Steve Maharey is in hot water over comments he made in a recent media column. Photo / NZME
In Maharey’s January column, he claimed “nothing seems new or fresh about the team National is offering” and likened the party to the Republican Party in the United States or Britain’s Conservative Party in that they “seem more interested in the past than the future”.
Hughes said Maharey had called him at 10am on Saturday to discuss the matter. Maharey had confirmed at that point that he would speak with the Ministers of ACC and Health.
Health Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall said yesterday Maharey had offered his resignation from Pharmac during their conversation.
Brown repeatedly asked Hughes whether Maharey and Campbell deserved the same punishment but Hughes would not offer his perspective.
“It is a decision for ministers under the relevant legislation ... I am not commenting on the nature of my advice.”
Despite the comments made by Campbell and Maharey, Hughes maintained public servants knew their requirements, citing a survey that found 97 per cent had a good understanding.
“I’m very confident that public servants are well aware of the political neutrality requirements on them.”
National MP Simeon Brown. Photo / Mark Mitchell
He didn’t believe it was the commission’s place to actively monitor comments made by Crown entity board members but he confirmed he would look at whether it was necessary to step up engagement with board members.
Hughes was also questioned about the Government’s use of contractors and consultants in the public service.
He explained international benchmarks indicated the percentage of total workforce spend on contractors and consultants in the public service should be between 10 and 13 per cent.
Hughes said that was being achieved prior to 2020 but when Covid-19 arrived, it demanded thousands of public servants be reprioritised and Hughes said that work had to be back-filled by external staff.
“The Covid wave knocked us off track and that is still flowing through the system.”
He also referenced the need for consultants to assist with the Government’s large work programme, something Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has looked to pare back to focus on cost of living issues.
