State Services Minister Chris Hipkins has launched public consultation on a major overhaul of the public service. Photo / Mark Mitchell
State Services Minister Chris Hipkins is confident a major reform of the public service into a single system will not see a return to the bloated and inefficient public service of decades ago.
Hipkins today launched a public consultation process ahead of what he called the most significant reform of
the public service in 30 years and a major shift in the way it operates.
"The changes would see the public service operate as one, joined-up system to tackle the big, complex challenges facing New Zealand.
"Under the current model individual departments deliver services that they have sole accountability for. This doesn't work as well when agencies need to be working collectively where citizens often must deal with a number of different agencies on a single issue," Hipkins said in a statement.
Speaking to reporters later, Hipkins rejected the notion the changes would return the public service to an earlier model that earned it a reputation for being overstaffed and underperforming.
