“Appointments in public services should not be based on “diversity, equity and inclusion goals of forced awakening,” says NZ Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters.
One of the three political parties that make up New Zealand’s coalition government has introduced a private membership bill aimed at removing “forcement, awakening, ‘diversity’ and inclusion “targets'” in its public service employment policy.
Currently, the Public Services Act, passed in 2020, requires government sectors and agencies to actively tackle a workforce “reflecting New Zealand’s diversity.”
Additionally, an initiative called the Papa Pounamu programme ensures that DEI efforts are incorporated throughout the government.
The institution sets goals to increase the proportion of employees in the Māori and Pacific, particularly in leadership roles, and prioritizes the public service employment process, which often prioritizes diverse employment, including targeted recruitment strategies, scholarships and development programs.
We also use the “comprehensive” job description and selection panel to ensure ads that say applications from Māori, Pacific, people with disabilities and other underrated groups are particularly welcome.
Although there is no legal quota, the sector is expected to actively improve diversity. In other words, applicants from Māori or Pacific backgrounds may prefer several employment decisions to achieve workforce representation goals.
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Last year’s government directive emphasized that public services, including health and education, should be prioritized based on needs rather than race.
The researchers argued that the approach is “unscientific and dangerous” and could potentially hinder the effectiveness of targeted services designed to address the specific needs of ethnic communities that lag behind the national average in terms of outcomes.
New Zealand’s first leader, Winston Peters, will speak during a discussion held in Auckland, New Zealand on October 1, 2020. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images
Cutback already happening
The Public Service Commission has announced a decline in the number of teams responsible for diversity and inclusion work in response to the demand for cost reductions across the public sector.
The Public Service Association, a union representing civil servants, criticised these cuts, saying it represents an important step backwards on DEI’s efforts within public services.
But if NZ’s first leader and deputy prime minister Winston Peters has his way, they’ll be completely over.
“The bill will put an end to the targets of social engineering and diversity in the public sector left,” he said in a social media post. “New Zealand is a country based on meritocracy, not a mind-bogglingly stupid ideology.”
The bill will repeal or amend provisions from the provisions of the Public Services Act, which require prioritization of diversity and inclusion for merit and competence.
If passed, we will remove the responsibility of public services commissioners, chief executives and committees to promote diversity and inclusion as part of a “good employer” that includes specific references to Māori involvement. It also completely excludes diversity and inclusiveness of the workforce from policy considerations of the government’s workforce.
The New Zealand flag flies in front of a council beehive in Wellington, New Zealand on October 20, 2014. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
“Public services exist to serve New Zealanders, not to breed identity politics,” Peters said.
“Removing the “Dei” requirement gives you the confidence that the right person is in the right job based on your skills, not your identity. ”
Qualified national support from labor
It’s not a government bill, so it could be debated and possibly drawn from a private membership bill vote from all parties’ lawmakers.
Senior National MP Chris Bishop considered it if his party won the vote and said that overall he believed in meritocracy and quality over identity politics, but also wanted “public services that reflect modern New Zealand.”
Labour leader Chris Hipkins said NZ’s first proposal was “frankly ridiculous.”
“We have a Public Services Act that requires public services to reflect New Zealand and New Zealanders,” he said.
“I passed it and I’m very proud of it. I think Winston Peters is basically just trying to remove the leaves from Donald Trump’s books.”
In a work update last month, the Public Service Commission said the DEI was about “about the committee being here to serve, build trust and confidence and reflect and evaluate the community to improve the services and outcomes of New Zealanders.
“There are multiple benefits to attracting, maintaining, perception, value and developing people’s skills and experiences across all aspects of diversity (e.g. gender, ethnicity, disability, rainbow, age, etc.).
