New Zealand First leader Winston Peters says there are diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) quotas affecting the public service, but Public Service Minister Judith Collins says she’s not aware of any.
While not quotas, there are targets, however, in the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) DEI plan. For example, it has targets for ethnic representation in the commission’s workforce.
Peters’ comments come as he faced more questions on Thursday about whether his party’s constitution included DEI values, which he has been recently railing against. DEI commonly refers to policies or frameworks to ensure the inclusion of individuals and communities with varying characteristics or from different demographics.
The constitution, which was adopted by the party just last year, has a section on what should be considered when ranking candidates for list placement.
“In ranking the candidates, the List Ranking Committee shall consider: The ability, expertise, and experience of the candidates generally, and of the qualities that a candidate may contribute to the House of Representatives, the need for different genders, social groups, ages, and ethnic groups to be represented.”
Peters on Wednesday night denied this reflected DEI. He deflected questions from the Herald if it was hypocritical to criticise DEI policies when having this section in his party’s constitution.
The NZ First leader claimed that DEI ideology created “quotas, priorities, and targets”, which on Thursday he repeated his party’s constitution didn’t have.
“We have no quotas, right? We have no priorities. We have no targets,” Peters said.
“We get a variety of people in because of the geography, their backgrounds, and that’s why the party looks like the greatest party on earth.”
Asked if the Public Service Act, which NZ First is proposing to amend to remove DEI elements, had quotas and targets, Peters responded: “What do you mean, ‘does it’? It’s all there. It’s all in the appendices of the legislation.”
However, Collins, the Public Service Minister, said she was unaware of quotas existing.
When asked if there were quotas for the likes of age or ethnicity, she initially responded: “I hope not.” She then said she was “not aware of that”.
But Collins believed Peters “knows exactly what he’s talking about”.
“He’s an excellent person. We get on very well.”
NZ First has proposed a Member’s Bill to amend or repeal sections in the Public Service Act related to diversity and inclusiveness.
Those sections don’t specify targets or quotas, however, they do inform the PSC’s actions.
The PSC’s DEI plan for 2024/2025 includes targets with regard to the likes of workforce representation.
“In this version of our DEI plan, we have focused on setting targets for ethnic representation in our workforce and leadership. The proposed target ranges below are a goal but are not a ceiling.”
For example, by 2027, the PSC targets having Māori make up between 17% and 18% of the commission’s workforce. The plan said it currently sat at 9%.
Diversity and inclusion are described as “essential” parts of the public service by the PSC, which reports on progress against DEI activities.
In an update on its work released last month, the PSC said DEI was about “reflecting and valuing the communities that Te Kawa Mataaho/Public Service Commission is here to serve, to build trust and confidence and improve services and outcomes for New Zealanders”.
When announcing the proposed legislation last week, Peters said it would ensure employment decisions in the public service were based on merit, rather than DEI targets.
“This bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector,” Peters said. “New Zealand is a country founded on meritocracy, not on some mind-numbingly stupid ideology.”
One section it would amend relates to the appointment of new public service chief executives. Currently, a panel selecting someone for the role must consider requirements “relating to merit-based appointments and diversity and inclusiveness”. The diversity and inclusiveness aspect would be removed.
Labour’s leader Chris Hipkins said on Thursday it was “completely consistent with Winston Peters’ approach to politics, which is to tell you what his values are and then say, but if you don’t like those, I’ve got some others”.
“Winston Peters voted in favour of the Public Service Act that he’s now railing against. His own constitution, which was adopted only last year, has diversity and inclusion elements in it,” he said.
Hipkins said Peters was trying to do something US President Donald Trump was doing. The Trump administration is trying to roll back DEI policies across the US Government. One of the first executive orders the President signed was to terminate DEI discrimination in the federal workforce. Peters has said his party has previously campaigned against DEI policies.
On Wednesday, Peters also said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – which he’s in charge of – wouldn’t appoint someone to a “Tikanga Lead” role.
“They know, as we speak, exactly what’s expected of them and I’ll be watching because we campaigned on equality. We campaigned against woke ideals and that’s what the coalition is about.”
The job advertisement for that role was removed from Seek on Thursday.
Jamie Ensor is a political reporter in the NZ Herald Press Gallery team based at Parliament. He was previously a TV reporter and digital producer in the Newshub Press Gallery office.