Renewal is everyone's job: applying the new Public Service Act in practice

The new Public Service Act (2020) provides a powerful lever for systemic change, but a lever is only effective when you use it.

At the end of the day, the Act is what you make of it, what we all make of it. If we “wait for it to be implemented”, then we are, at best, missing an opportunity. How can we take this moment and make it count? The lever is there, let’s see how we could use it?

This event will start with an expert panel to explore key aspects of the Act, with some practical examples of how it could be applied. The event will also include an interactive workshop to provide an opportunity to discuss and support each other to consider what we could do differently or better today.

Recommended pre-reading: The Public Service Act 2020, and http://pipka.org/2021/06/18/renewal-of-the-public-service-is-everyones-job/

Panelists: Our panel includes four 10 minute talks:

• Hugo Vitalis from the Public Service Commission to outline what good looks like from the Commission's view
• Pia Andrews will discuss the opportunities from the perspective of other jurisdictions
• Simon Chapple from the Victoria University of Wellington will discuss some of the challenges to take into account
• Nadia Webster and Michelle Edgerley will discuss some of the system challenges today, and how the PSA might help.

After a 10 minute Q&A, the panel will feed into a facilitated workshop for attendees to anonymously contribute ideas on how you could apply the PSA, today, in your workplace. Your ideas will be written up (and kept anonymous) to share more widely. We hope they will encourage and support the GOVIS community (and public servants more broadly) to consider practical actions to use the Public Service Act to renew the public service, for the benefit of Aotearoa New Zealand.

You can register to attend either in person, or online (please select the correct option when making your booking in Eventbrite). In person attendees will receive a light lunch.

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