Having new leaders can leave a significant impact on the country’s public sector, as they usually bring with them new or altered policies, ideologies and goals that can change the way the public sector operates.  

Early this year, New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern shocked everyone when she announced that she was stepping down from her position. She cited that she no longer had the energy to seek re-election. 

Minister for Education Chris Hipkins was then appointed as New Zealand’s prime minister following a Labour caucus. During a press conference, the new prime minister stated that his government would be busy reprioritising Labor’s current policies.  

Check out: NZ’s new PM to reprioritise current policies 

A shift in public policies and ideologies 

While New Zealand’s change in leadership is not significantly drastic, as the Labour Party still holds its position in government, it is sufficient to say that the country’s public sector will be seeing some difference in the way they operate. 

A key factor that will change due to the shift of leaders is the introduction of new policies and ideologies. The new leader will often bring with them their own vision for the public sector, which may be vastly different from that of their predecessor. 

For example, a new leader may prioritize investment in education or healthcare, while their predecessor may have focused on infrastructure or national security. 

This can be seen with Hipkins’ plans for his government. While Ardern’s government introduced a new “well-being budget” that shift the focus of government spending away from GDP growth and towards improving the well-being of New Zealanders, Hipkins’ government will be focusing on responding to cost-of-living pressures as his appointment coincided with the release of stubbornly high inflation figures. 

This change in priorities can lead to a shift in the focus of the public sector, as well as changes in funding and resource allocation. 

New plans for public servants 

Another key factor that can happen when the public sector changes leaders is the potential reshuffling of key personnel.  

The new leader may choose to bring in their own team to lead key positions in the public sector, leading to the removal of current leaders and the appointment of new ones. This can have a major impact on the overall functioning of the public sector, as new members may bring in new ideas and approaches, but also may take time to adapt to their new roles and responsibilities.  

This can be seen in the latest appointment made by NZ prime minister Chris Hipkins, who chose Carmel Sepuloni as his deputy prime minister. Sepuloni, who has been New Zealand’s Minister for Social Development since 2017, has been working with Hipkins on reining in government programs that are non-essential following her appointment. 

Sepuloni’s appointment is also an important step towards greater representation and diversity in the country’s public sector, as it can help to promote a more inclusive and diverse society and can also be seen as a positive step towards addressing historic inequalities and injustices. 

Aside from this, appointments of new public sector leaders can also lead to changes in the organizational structure of both the federal and local government due to certain departments or agencies being reorganized to better align with the new policies and goals. 

Check out: Annual report reveals ATO as most trusted federal agency 

The shift of leaders can leave huge changes in the way the public sector operates, whether it’s the new policies and goals or new personnel being appointed. And as New Zealand faces a new chapter with its new prime minister, many are looking towards these changes with the hope of significant improvement in their lives. 

Eliza Sayon

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Eliza is a content producer and editor at Public Spectrum. She is an experienced writer on topics related to the government and to the public, as well as stories that uplift and improve the community.

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