Earlier this year, the Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes quietly finished his time with the Public Service Commission, Te Kawa Mataaho.
It’s important that he is remembered for the positive role he played in promoting transparency and integrity in the New Zealand public sector.
New Zealand has taken pride in being in the top 5 of the international Corruptions Perceptions Index (CPI) since its inception in 1993. Its positive CPI ranking plays an important role in opening doors for our exports, easing negotiations for our foreign trade and facilitating our international security.
This is because the CPI is often generalised as a brand of trust and integrity for our whole economy, including the private sector.
In fact, this index was developed by Transparency International to measure perceptions of corruption in the public sector ONLY. It was designed as a measure covering the public sectors of over 180 countries worldwide.
Peter Hughes knew how important it was for New Zealand to have a public sector that was trusted, and he put considerable effort into activities designed to build trust. He strongly supported the processes that underpinned ethics and trust in the exercise of public service. Through his leadership of the PSC, he provided a strong tone of integrity at the top.
In 2011, Transparency International New Zealand (TINZ) did a comprehensive assessment of our public sector to ascertain if its positive CPI perceptions were backed up by stronger evidence. At that time head of the School of Government, Peter joined other public sector leaders in providing the funds required to pay experienced researchers to carry out the 2013 Integrity Plus National Integrity System Assessment (NIS).
These funds from around 20 core public sector agencies were applied by TINZ to independently assess the integrity and transparency of the New Zealand Public Sector. It is a strong feature of New Zealand’s democracy that it has had governments that both value and enable deep, independent reviews of their activities to take place.
Over 30 researchers were involved, applying strict objective criteria based on an assessment framework designed by New Zealander Jeremy Pope.
Later, when he became Public Sector Commissioner under the previous National Government in 2016, Peter encouraged the same group of government agencies who funded the NIS to provide club funding so that TINZ could continue its work aimed at assessing and improving transparency in the public sector.
Among its key ongoing roles was for TINZ to follow up on recommendations in the 2013 NIS and it provided an update in 2018. TINZ recently commissioned a general assessment of the anti-corruption function of government agencies which will indicate progress and what more there is to be done.
One way that TINZ carries out its role is through its Leaders Integrity Forums, hosted by the Office of the Auditor General, with support from the Public Service Commission. Public sector leaders attend these regular forums which describe the challenges they face and discuss ways that they can manage them.
Amongst the consistent issues throughout the public sector noted by reports from the Auditor General include management of conflicts, fraud, wider corruption and whistleblowing processes.
The role of Public Service Commissioner is a very important and complex one. Peter Hughes is a challenge to replace as indicated by the position being still vacant.
Transparency International New Zealand owes Peter Hughes a huge debt for his strong support so it could carry out its role with a higher degree of continuity and focus. More importantly, New Zealand owes him a debt for his strong support of the trust and integrity of the public service and of our elected government.
It’s important that those looking for the right person to fill Peter’s shoes find someone who can continue his significant contribution to our country’s strong reputation for trust and integrity.
