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The State Services Commission (SSC) has been labelled a ‘‘disaster’’ following the controversial departure of Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) chief executive Roger Sutton.
The sixth annual review of New Zealand government departments by political newsletter Trans Tasman has been released, chosen by a 16-strong independent board of advisers.
The SSC received the worst ratings in the history of the Trans Tasman surveys – rated bottom in all four core areas, and a full grade below every other agency.
But the commission says the survey findings are at odds with a recent independent review.
The SSC was described by Trans Tasman as a ‘‘disaster’’ following a year in which chief executive Iain Rennie appeared alongside disgraced former Cera boss Sutton at a press conference after Sutton faced sexual harassment allegations. Sutton resigned.
‘‘It is untenable for an agency meant to be one of the three core agencies responsible for the quality of the public service to have such appalling ratings,’’ the report said. ‘‘Privately, Ministers are losing confidence in Rennie and this is mirrored by many department CEOs.’’
He was further said to be ‘‘beyond redemption and hopeless,’’ with ‘‘no spine or leadership’’.
Rennie was said to have misjudged the seriousness of the situation with Sutton.
Rennie’s participation in the press conference given by Sutton after he resigned was no surprise – ‘‘it is just another example of poor judgment’’.
But the report said it was surprising Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Andrew Kibblewhite, also at the press conference, was ‘‘dragged into it too’’.
The Trans Tasman report said new chief executive John Ombler had ‘‘calmed’’ Cera. The organisation ‘‘still hasn’t performed to expectations’’ since the quakes, it said.
‘‘Ombler inherited a dysfunctional organisation and Roger Sutton’s excitable legacy. Some think the bureaucracy is too reactive but others readily concede Ombler has made the best of a difficult environment with increasingly vocal and testy unsatisfied customers.’’
An SSC spokesman said a recent independent performance improvement framework review found the commission had made significant progress.
‘‘[Report author Dame Patsy Reddy found] SSC is providing well-regarded services and sup- port to public service chief executives and agencies.
‘‘The report has found all of the government’s better public services results show positive trends and chief executives are increasingly adopting a collaborative system-wide approach in their roles.’’
The spokesman said the SSC was also acting to provide improved guidance for public servants and agencies on how to address bullying and harassment.
The Earthquake Commission received a more positive assess- ment. Trans Tasman noted it had ‘‘surmounted earlier difficulties in Canterbury and reports good progress on claims’’. A perception that chief executive Ian Simpson ‘‘has failed to engage with the very human emotions following the earthquakes’’ persisted.
The Ministry of Education’s Peter Hughes was named chief executive of the year for the third time. Hughes was said to have been a strong leader but many other government agencies lacked guidance at the top. The Ministry of Education was the most improved agency, with its rating moving from 2.4 to 4.3 (out of a possible 7) over two years, with Hughes given much of the credit.
The review dubbed the Accident Compensation Corporation the rising star of the public sector, after recovering from ‘‘significant privacy issues’’ and getting its finances under control.
Chief executive Scott Pickering was praised for making significant positive change.
Finance Minister Bill English was still judged the driving force behind state sector reform, although new Minister for State Services Paula Bennett had been ‘‘a willing apprentice and is now snapping at her master’s heels’’.
The board of advisers noted some junior ministers were failing to handle their departments and there was ‘‘a lack of genuine ability in Cabinet’’.
Conservation Minister Maggie Barry was rated ‘‘particularly ineffective’’.
The expansion of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment also scored poorly, considered ‘‘too big to work’’.
Top spy Rebecca Kitteridge was credited with almost singlehandedly improving public perception of the security and intelligence agencies since she took over as director of the Security Intelligence Service.