‘Public service must change’

We will not achieve diversity in institutions unless we shake up the assumptions and values underlying them,

The report from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Christchurch Mosque Attacks has been a long time coming. There is no doubt that the original reporting date of December 10 last year was overly ambitious, and some delay was likely. We did not expect it to take this long.

There is still much to read, and a lot more time is needed for us to process the findings. The minute released on November 27 sealed submissions and evidence by state agencies and actors. This report is all that we have in the public domain. We hope that it fairly reflects the evidence provided, although there is no way to test that.

We were told in meetings of the Muslim Community Reference Group the broad areas the recommendations would cover. One of these are the ‘‘Recommendations to improve social cohesion and New Zealand’s response to our increasingly diverse population’’. Social cohesion is covered in Part 9 of the report.

One of the best ways to prevent terrorism and violent extremism – and the definitions of those words remain highly contested – is to improve connectedness between communities and individuals.

The report tells us the terrorist had few social connections, and very few close friendships. His strongest relationships after his father died were with his mother and sister. But he travelled alone so extensively from March 2013 that face-to-face time with them was limited. He apparently had no significant romantic relationships. He had stopped paid employment in 2012, so had no regular contact with work colleagues.

Regular human interactions allow us to open up to differing views and experiences, and to build empathy. An online world allows us to opt out from interacting with those we have decided are a threat, thus preventing us from seeing their humanity.

Social cohesion, though, is just as much about equity and access to rights: the ability to participate fully in society and in its democratic processes. It is about having systems and processes that are flexible enough to ensure different world views and different needs are provided for. Part of the definition in the report also includes having confidence in public institutions.

Our experience of public institutions, mirrored bymany others we have talked to across the country, is that there is an incredible lack of understanding of a diverse range of life experiences. In dealing with many parts of the public service, the lack of relevant experiences led to blind spots or, what was more harmful, a lack of belief when we shared our problems and suggested solutions.

Discrimination can be experienced at both the individual level or in the values and assumptions built into the system design. So a patient at a hospital or a student in the classroom may experience discrimination by frontline staff.

But they can also be hampered by the values and assumptions that require students to be at school for certain hours, or requiring teaching in a particular style to a set curriculum.

There are children in our community who are required to be caregivers, or to supplement the family income. They may not have access to the internet or devices.

The teaching of social studies or history may diminish their identity or culture in front of classmates, given through the authority of the teacher. They may have reading difficulties, or an inability to concentrate for long periods of time. They may be suffering from trauma.

All of these differing experiences require different responses, which is time-consuming and complex, but necessary. It’s similar across all public services. Until the fundamental values and assumptions underpinning a system are challenged, changing the structure will not work.

So, for example, dismantling the Security Intelligence Service and placing the national security function ina new agency will not work if it is built on the same underlying values and assumptions as the old system. Hiring the same staff who have not developed cultural competency, or competency in empowering communities, will also lead to failure.

Systems and structures are built by people – they are not independent of the people who design and uphold them. Decision-makers and leaders are most responsible for the harm caused by inadequate systems and structures.

Introducing diversity at entrylevel positions, where people are powerless to enable change, will not produce the desired benefit. A change in public service culture must come from the topmost leadership, a leadership that has proven skills.

Before the mosque attacks, that leadership was missing. The report is clear on that. Can we trust these same people to make the changes recommended in the royal commission report?

Social cohesion is just as much about equity and access to rights: the ability to participate fully in society and in its democratic processes.