Govt depts to get code of conduct

Press, 25 February 1989, Page 6

Govt depts to get code of conduct

Pa Wellington Almost two years after it was deemed urgent, a code of conduct will be issued to Government departments laying down ideals for public servants to follow. The State Services Commissioner, Mr Don Hunn, says it will be a kind of “Ten Commandments” for the Public Service and will lay down a simple set of standards for all public servants to understand and obey. Expected to be modelled on a Canadian example, it will replace an existing code in use before changes stemming from the implementation of the State Sector Act. The code will be issued by the State Services Commission, and has been prompted by problems arising from the new demands of the restructured public service. The commission issued draft proposals to departments last August, and the final replies have only recently been received. Mr Hunn confirmed some departments had developed their own codes since the commission issued its draft proposals

last year, and were already requiring their employees to sign pledges that they would obey these. The commission is also developing another code — to tackle “very sensitive” areas of what whould and should not be required of public servants. The relationship between them and members of Parliament, for example, will come in for special attention from this code — to be called a code of practice. Mr Hunn says this could be a year away. The need for a code of practice has been thrown into sharp focus by such issues as the naming of public servants in Parliament amid allegations questioning their political leanings, the requirements of middle and senior public servants under questioning at parliamentary select committees, contract employees, the effects of commercialism on Public Service practices, equal employment provisions of the State Sector Act, and the implications for public servants required to meet Treaty of Waitangi obligations.