20 December 2007

Media Statement

Resignation of State Services Commissioner

The Institute of Public Administration NZ (IPANZ) regrets the resignation of Dr Mark Prebble as State Services Commissioner.

IPANZ President Ross Tanner commented that “there have been a number of achievements during Dr Prebble’s tenure as Commissioner that should be recognized. First, he has reinvigorated the concept of the ‘State Services’ as the formal description of the organizations that make up our central government management system. He has also made good progress in unifying the disparate group of agencies into a more effective system that works together to improve New Zealand’s social and economic performance”.

“Second, Dr Prebble issued the Development Goals for the State Services in 2005, an important new step to set the direction for improved management in government agencies”.

“Third he issued a new Code of Conduct for the State Services, late last year. This is a simple straightforward statement of what is expected of all public servants. His aim in doing so was to help improve the trust of New Zealanders in Government, which is an important objective for the Commissioner”.

Dr Prebble has also emphasized the importance of recognising the profession of public service and has taken several people capability initiatives during his tenure."

“We wish him well in the next phase of his working life and look forward to a continuing contribution from him to public policy and management in the future,” said Ross Tanner.

ENDS

Background on IPANZ

The Institute of Public Administration New Zealand (IPANZ) is a voluntary, non-profit organization and is the independent professional Institute for public servants both in local and in central Government.

Our objectives are

- To provide informed debate on public policy or management issues

- To promote improvements in public policy and public sector management

- To increase public understanding of the work of public servants

- To promote the highest standards of professionalism by our members

- To improve the quality of service to the public from the public sector

We arrange seminars for our members and other interested people to gain information about and to discuss important questions of policy and management.

We publish Public Sector, a quarterly journal of comment on policy development and management issues currently being debated in New Zealand.

Our New Professionals Group comprises people between the ages of 18-39, early to mid-career in government or government related jobs, who want to meet new people, forge links between agencies and build the public sector of the future.

We recently launched a new Awards programme for the public sector, the IPANZ Gen-I Public Sector Excellence Awards. Entries in five categories for the awards, and a media award, closed on Friday 14 December.

© Scoop Media