Public service reforms look worthwhile

The Herald reports:

The Minister in charge of New Zealand’s public service has announced the “most significant” shake-up of the state sector in more than three decades.
State Services Minister Chris Hipkins said the Government will repeal and replace the State Sector Act of 1988 with a new, modern piece of legislation – the Public Services Act.
The new law, which will be introduced to Parliament in a few months, shifts the focus of Government agencies – such as Treasury and other Ministries – and puts more emphasis on them working together.
At the moment, Government departments and agencies tend to work in silos.

Hipkins said the shake-up would help create a “unified public service”, which aimed to tackle specific issues, such as reducing child poverty, mental health services, climate change and the future of work.

The reforms looks useful and potentially worth supporting. But Government agencies already do work together.

The last Government set Better Public Services targets than required agencies to work together to achieve them. Sadly this Government has scrapped them.