Acting Chief Executives, Department Of Work And Income And
Ministry Of Social Policy

Media Statement From The State Services Commissioner

The State Services Commissioner, Michael Wintringham, announced today his appointment of acting chief executives to the Department of Work and Income and the Ministry of Social Policy from early July.

Dame Margaret Bazley will be acting chief executive of the Department of Work and Income from 6 July until the appointment of a chief executive of the Ministry of Social Development. The term of appointment of the current chief executive of the Department of Work and Income, Mrs Christine Rankin, expires on 5 July.

Mr Mel Smith will be acting chief executive of the Ministry of Social Policy from 1 July until such time as the Ministry is merged with the Department of Work and Income to form the Ministry of Social Development. The term of appointment of the current chief executive of the Ministry of Social Policy, Dame Margaret Bazley, expires on 30 June.

Mr Wintringham has begun the appointment process for a chief executive of the Ministry of Social Development. The position was advertised in late April. Mr Wintringham said that it generally took from four to six months between advertising for a Public Service chief executive and the successful candidate taking up the position.

Mr Wintringham said that a major responsibility of Dame Margaret and Mr Smith would be to begin the transitional arrangements for the merger. He said he had asked Dame Margaret to move to the Department of Work and Income because of her experience as chief executive of the former Department of Social Welfare. "The Department of Work and Income, formed from the Income Support service of the Department of Social Welfare, and the New Zealand Employment Service of the Department of Labour, is New Zealand's largest Government department, and it deals with more than one million New Zealanders. Dame Margaret is well qualified to maintain the many and complex services of the department as well as prepare it for the merger."

Dame Margaret is also a former chief executive of the Ministry of Transport and is currently the chairperson of the Fire Service Commission in addition to her role as chief executive of the Ministry of Social Policy.

Mr Smith also has extensive experience at senior levels in the Public Service. He is a former Deputy Secretary of Justice, Deputy Secretary of Internal Affairs, and acting chief executive of the Government Superannuation Fund. He has recently completed four months as acting chief executive of the Ministry of Justice.

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