Strong ‘spirit of service’ seen in latest chief executive appointments

This month’s new announcements of women taking up chief executive positions at the New Zealand Customs Service and at the Ministry of Culture and Heritage have been welcomed by the Public Service Association (PSA).

"The appointment of Christine Stevenson as chief executive at Customs and Bernadette Cavanagh as chief executive at Culture and Heritage demonstrates the positive example being set by the public service," said Glenn Barclay and Kerry Davies, PSA national secretaries.

"The distinguished careers of both Ms Stevenson - a former deputy chief executive at the Department of Corrections, Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Social Development - and Ms Cavanagh - in senior roles at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade - reflect their long-term commitment to the public service and a strong spirit of service".

"As observed at the beginning of December the number of public service department chief executive positions held by women is in the ascendancy, and now exceeds 50 percent with an accompanying rise in job size".

Kerry Davies: "The PSA fully supports the progress that is occurring for equal representation in senior leadership roles alongside alignment with the game-changing Gender Pay Gap Action Plan launched by Minister for Women Julie Anne Genter in July.

"One of the defining new directions that has been taken in 2018 is the commitment that the State Services Commission is overseeing for all agencies to make a significant difference to reduce the gender pay gap".

"Encouragingly the NZ Customs Service - with strong support from Christine Stevenson in her time as acting chief executive - has been one of the agencies that has been working most closely with the PSA to prioritise gender pay gap actions".

"The PSA looks forward to contributing to taking this important work further in 2019 and to working with all chief executives to ensure the positive momentum of 2018 continues across the public service," said Kerry Davies and Glenn Barclay.

ENDS

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