In today's headlines with Susie Nordqvist, Kamala Harris' first public appearance since Joe Biden quit the presidential race and Health NZ overspending by millions each month.
An investigation has found a senior public servant’s speech about the Government, made at Rātana Pā earlier this year, was “offensive,” “not politically neutral,” and fell short of Stats NZ’s expectations.
Statistics New Zealand senior adviser Nika Rua spoke to government leaders at the site in Te Reo, suggesting the Māori world view was being persecuted because of the policies the coalition government had.
Rua suggested the coalition was “oblivious” to the Māori worldview, adding “you only prioritise the few who voted you into Parliament.”
The Act Party was notably missing from Rātana celebrations in January - something Rua explicitly called out in his address.
“The government has three coalition partners, two of which are present and the third electing to stay in his constituency to lick his own arse and indeed declining the invitation to listen to the grievances and the suppression cast upon my Māori people,” he said.
An independent review has found the public servant was not politically neutral while making those comments. Statistics New Zealand said the comments, critical of the Government’s policies, were expressed in a way that was “offensive and not respectful” to ministers.
Government Statistician and Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden was taking responsibility for the adviser’s behaviour which he deemed “unacceptable”.
Public servants are expected to serve the Government of the day with political neutrality. Late last year, Newstalk ZB reported Health New Zealand communications leader Catherine Delore as saying public servants who can’t serve the Government of the day should “opt out, or be cut out,” in relation to leaks in the sector.
Sowden said it was “never acceptable” for a public servant acting in an official capacity to express their personal views in a way that compromises political neutrality.
The review of the situation, signed off by Sowden, stated neutrality was a “fundamental principle of the public service that cannot be compromised”.
12 interviews were conducted as part of the review, with senior Māori public servants from across the sector.
The report, conducted by Anaru Mill of Hingston Mill, expressed thanks to those working in the sector, stating “whether real or perceived, I think it is a most challenging period for Māori public servants to manage and balance their interests.”
Statistics New Zealand sent four employees to the celebrations in January, which were also attended by representatives of the coalition, alongside numerous iwi and hapū representatives. The agency sought to strengthen relationships with iwi and other Māori stakeholders.
Rua, who made the critical speech at the event, had not declared any potential conflicts of interest with his employer.
“I don’t believe his interests posed an inherent conflict with the interests of Stats NZ. Indeed, his knowledge, experiences and networks stemming from his private interests, are part of his valued skill set and capability as a Māori advisor to Stats NZ,” the review stated.
Government Statistician and Stats NZ chief executive Mark Sowden has deemed Rua's behaviour “unacceptable”.
It found the employee accepted to speak on behalf of tangata whenua at the celebrations but was attending Rātana in his role as a Stats NZ staffer.
The final report said Rua did not appear to avoid the speech, which ran the risk of undermining Stats NZ’s credibility and potentially jeopardising working relationships, or check-in with the agency’s boss about the potential for conflicts of interest to arise.
It found the agency could improve and strengthen its management, to prevent breaches of neutrality.
It also suggested Statistics New Zealand should consider whether its target of having all staff compliant with conflict of interest declarations is “fit-for-purpose”.
A separate internal audit of the agency’s conflict of interest review found Stats NZ’s processes for managing conflicts of interest were not effective.
Figures show 43% of staff completed a declaration in 2021 - a number which dropped to less than 20% by July 2023.
371 employees had submitted declarations in 2023; most workers didn’t declare any conflicts, 41 declared “remote” conflicts of interest with no further action required, and there were four cases where strategies were needed in confirmed conflicts.
“I suggest that the primary focus should be to consider how the conflicts of interest policy and its related procedures, can be improved so that it gives greater consideration and is more responsive to the identity, values and interests (including various affiliations) of Māori public servants,” the report into the Rātana speech read.
Employees are currently bound by the agreement to “exercise discretion about airing any political views in public,” whether in support or opposition to the Government.
“When government has taken a decision it is your duty, as a public servant, to carry out that decision whether or not you personally agree with it,” staff are told.
Stats NZ will review its procedures and policies around perceived conflicts of interest, improving requirements for staff declaring conflicts, and ensuring managers receive improved training.
The agency has committed to improving guidance around conflicts of interest, support, and management, “specifically for Māori public servants and staff who work with communities and in public facing roles”.
Sowden said all recommendations would be implemented within a year.
Azaria Howell is a Wellington-based multimedia reporter with an eye across the region. She joined NZME in 2022 and has a keen interest in city council decisions, public service agency reform and transport.
