Report finds public service undermining political direction

Detailed summary

Newly elected Government ministers cannot assume public service will support electoral promises, according to a new report from the New Zealand Initiative.

Newly elected Government ministers cannot assume public service will support electoral promises, according to a new report from the New Zealand Initiative.

Based on interviews with 40 insiders and a survey of 718 current and former public servants, authors Dr Benno Blaschke and Henry Olsen found that seven in ten officials believe they serve the public rather than the elected government.

The study reveals that a majority of officials and nearly two-thirds of senior leaders support undermining ministers they disagree with through tactics like framing advice to steer decisions, leaking to the media, delaying policies, or outright refusal.

The report also finds a sharp decline in the quality of policy advice.

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