ACT is welcoming confirmation that public service reform will put merit, not identity, at the heart of what it means to be a public servant.

"If you're vying to become a public service boss, it shouldn't matter whether you're brown, white, or blue. What matters is whether you are competent to deliver the services we expect for our taxes," says ACT Public Service spokesperson Todd Stephenson.

“A creeping focus on people’s identity over merit in the public sector is corrosive. It distracts from service delivery, elevates less competent candidates, and is fundamentally racist.

“Now, with ACT in government, we're cutting out the ideological rot. Our coalition agreement commits to amending the Public Service Act ‘to clarify the role of the public service, drive performance, and ensure accountability to deliver on the agenda of the government of the day.’

“New Zealanders don’t care about the identity of the person procuring life-saving medicines, improving the education system, or responding to natural disasters – so long as it's the person with the best skills and experience doing it.

“Real inclusion means treating people as individuals, not representatives of demographic groups. It’s difficult to convince public servants to treat all New Zealanders equally when their own organisation hires people through a lens of identity.”

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