Summarised by Centrist
Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche has ordered agencies to remove Public Service Association material urging people to “change the Government” from public-service workplaces.
Roche said the postcards were clearly election advertisements because they carried the promoter statement legally required on election material.
He said displaying them inside government departments breached expectations that the public service remain politically neutral, regardless of which party was in power.
“Public servants and the public service need to be kept safe from any accusations around political neutrality,” Roche said.
“I am disappointed that public servants have been put in the unacceptable position where they have been asked to display and distribute material clearly inconsistent with our guidance.”
The PSA disagrees and has sought an urgent meeting. National secretaries Fleur Fitzsimons and Duane Leo said the commissioner was unnecessarily restricting public servants and unions.
“It is important that public service agencies do not over-compensate during this time and unnecessarily restrict the right of public servants and their unions to express their views,” they wrote.
The union is seeking legal advice.
Roche said unions could still communicate with members by email, at union meetings and outside the workplace. Election advertisements, however, could not be displayed on public-service premises.
“Ultimately, New Zealanders must be able to trust that the public service serves the government of the day with equal professionalism, regardless of political persuasion,” he said.
“That trust depends on our workplaces remaining politically neutral.”
