Foreword from the Minister of State Services

The State Services Commission's focus is to work with the Treasury and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet to provide strong leadership to the Public Service and the wider State Services. The Government is asking these central agencies to play a leading role in driving an efficient State Services that delivers improved front line services to New Zealanders.

My expectations of the State Services Commissioner are that he will provide this leadership in discharging his statutory responsibilities, such as the appointment and performance management of Public Service chief executives, and in particular I expect he will provide Ministers with high quality advice about the performance of government agencies and how this can be improved.

I also expect that, during this period of fiscal constraint, the State Services Commission will continue to lead on the prudent management of State resources, by managing the cap on the core bureaucracy and ensuring that all collective agreements and wage settlements are affordable and equitable.

This Government, and New Zealanders, want effective front line service delivery from a professional, apolitical State Services. A tightly focused, high performing State Services Commission is essential to the coordination and delivery of that goal. To that end, I have agreed with the State Services Commissioner the work programme he has outlined in the 2009-2012 Statement of Intent.

I am satisfied that the information on future operating intentions provided by the State Services Commission in this Statement of Intent is in accordance with sections 38, 40, and 41 of the Public Finance Act 1989 and is consistent with the policies and performance expectations of the Government.

Hon Tony Ryall

Minister of State Services

April 2009