Newly published principles by the Public Service Commission signal hope that we could see free speech restored in the New Zealand Public Service. We’ll watch to see that the public service walks the walk, not just talks the talk, says Nathan Seiuli, spokesperson for the Free Speech Union.

“For too long, political and cultural ideologies have held our public service captive, fostering an environment of self-censorship and removing a vital tool for error correction: freedom of speech.

“Political neutrality, openness and transparency, and meritocracy are vital to our democracy, yet they have been thrown to the side in favour of DEI initiatives.

“For our elected officials to make good decisions, they need advice untainted by the personal political persuasions of those serving in the public service.

“The Public Service Commission has released five key principles for the public service that are intended to guide the work of the profession: political neutrality, free and frank advice, merit-based appointments, open government, and stewardship.

“Encouraging free and frank advice increases confidence among public servants that they can exercise their freedom of speech, without previously held fears that voicing the ‘wrong’ opinion will result in alienation.

“Transparency and accountability of government are vital for public trust. We commend the Commission for these strong principles dedicated to building credibility within the public service. We now look forward to seeing these principles put into action.”

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