state servants & elections psay conference 18 november 2013
TRANSCRIPT
State servants & electionsPSAY Conference18 November 2013
Who is a state servant?
• SSC Standards of Integrity & Conduct cover - public service departments, crown entities & DHBs, crown entity subsidiaries
• Local government - each Council has their own policy, should be no less than SSC guidance
• CPS Sector – check whether your organisation has a code of conduct or policy
• www.ssc.govt.nz/code-organisations/
In general, state servants …
• Have the same political rights and freedoms as other New Zealanders
• Must maintain political neutrality to work with current and future governments
• Must keep their jobs out of their politics and their politics out of their jobs
• And Senior State servants and those who engage directly with Ministers should exercise careful judgment
So as a citizen you can …
• Participate in and support union political activity
• Be a member of a political party
• Help with fundraising, assist with leaflet drops, take part in other forms of support
• Stand for election to Parliament
• Note: PSA is not affiliated to any political party, but we are politically active and will be running an election campaign in 2014
But maintain political neutrality …
• By being careful not to:– disclose information not in the public domain– criticise government policy which you have been
professionally involved – talk about issues you are working on– present yourself as representing your agency – be
clear that you speak in your private capacity– wear employer branded clothing– bring your employer into disrepute
• including through social media
Use of agency resources
• Agency premises - do not display party political material or carry out activities that could reasonably regarded as party political
• Do not use agency resources in ways that could be seen as breaching the principle of political neutrality
Standing for election
• Notify your employer of intention to seek selection as a candidate
• Senior State servants – need to be particularly careful to manage the implications of their candidacies
• Electoral Act 1993 - sets out which State servants are required to take leave from their positions if standing for Parliament
• Those not covered by Electoral Act - discuss with employer whether it may be desirable to take leave to preserve political neutrality
Managing the boundaries
• Check SSC Code of Conduct and guidance
• Check your agency’s code of conduct and guidance
• Inform your manager early– to avoid misunderstandings– ensure that the relationship between employment
responsibilities and the freedom to exercise civil rights is understood
– a courtesy, no surprises, not seeking permission
• Check with a delegate, who can escalate if needed
What else?
• What should a healthy state service in a democracy look like?
• Especially the balance between the rights and responsibilities of being a citizen and a state servant?
• What else to our members need to support this?
Useful links
• SSC, Integrity and Conduct www.ssc.govt.nz/integrityandconduct
• SSC (April 2010) Understanding the code of conduct – Guidance for State servants www.ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/UnderstandingtheCode-April2010.pdf
• SSC (4 May 2010) Political Neutrality Guidance www.ssc.govt.nz/political-neutrality-guidance
• SSC (May 2011) State Servants, Political Parties, and Elections: Guidance for the 2011 Election Period www.ssc.govt.nz/sites/all/files/Election-Guidance-2011.PDF
New Zealand Public Service AssociationTe Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi
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