1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Sir Brian Roach is named as our next public service Commission. 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:04,640 Speaker 1: Of the public service, of course, has been hammered as 3 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: the new government tries to rebalance the economy. So what 4 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:09,319 Speaker 1: sort of task does he have? Sir Brian's, well, this 5 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:10,280 Speaker 1: is a very good morning to you. 6 00:00:11,240 --> 00:00:11,960 Speaker 2: Good morning mine. 7 00:00:12,039 --> 00:00:13,760 Speaker 1: I looked at you CV this morning. You've done a 8 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: lot of public work. Do you love public life in 9 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: terms of the public service. 10 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 2: I don't like public life, but I do like serving 11 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,119 Speaker 2: in public And the difference is. 12 00:00:23,560 --> 00:00:27,480 Speaker 1: It an effective means of your time, expertise and skills. 13 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: Do you think? 14 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 2: I absolutely believe so. I mean that has taken a 15 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,200 Speaker 2: big decision to change the tra directory of my life, 16 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:39,160 Speaker 2: that I believe that I have a contribution to make 17 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:41,200 Speaker 2: and on privileged to be able to do that. 18 00:00:41,320 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: It's not a bad point because you're going for a 19 00:00:42,960 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: shortened term. Your shortened term because you've got bigger fish 20 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:47,280 Speaker 1: to fry in other things to do. Or you think 21 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 1: you're extremely effective and we'll be able to get five 22 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:53,080 Speaker 1: years worth of work done in two years eight months. 23 00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,920 Speaker 2: I think I'm an effect that I'm not a super man. 24 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 2: It's more just reflection of an aging process for shorter 25 00:00:59,360 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 2: time to be. 26 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:03,880 Speaker 1: Does it depend on the government of the day how 27 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: the public service works. 28 00:01:06,920 --> 00:01:09,440 Speaker 2: I do. I do because the government sets the tone 29 00:01:09,480 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: and this government has been very clear that they're looking 30 00:01:12,280 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 2: to raise the performance of the public sector. I think 31 00:01:14,959 --> 00:01:18,199 Speaker 2: the public sector itself would like to raise its performance, 32 00:01:18,680 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 2: and that's part of the task ahead. 33 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:21,679 Speaker 1: How do you do that. 34 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 2: You do that ultimately through getting good quality people who 35 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:29,279 Speaker 2: believe in what they're doing. I think the public service 36 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,479 Speaker 2: in New Zealand are very good, but like every other business, trustracting. 37 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 2: There is no business that can't perform better, and all 38 00:01:37,800 --> 00:01:40,880 Speaker 2: businesses are under pressure in New Zealand. The public sector 39 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 2: is no difference. I have to bring some stabilization and 40 00:01:44,959 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 2: re orientation to that, and I feel I can do that. 41 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: I'm seeing as an observer some pushback from the public 42 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: service at the moment, especially around, for example, race relating issues. 43 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 1: So the new Governor of the day says, we're not 44 00:01:57,400 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: having race related issues. We don't base judge on race anymore. 45 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,320 Speaker 1: But I'm seeing pushback in the public service. Do you 46 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: see that as an issue? And if you do, what 47 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:05,880 Speaker 1: do you do about that? 48 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 2: Look, I haven't taken up the job yet. It will 49 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 2: be an issue, and it's an issue I'm just going 50 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 2: to have to face. But it's one that I'm really 51 00:02:13,440 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 2: confident about. You know, the quality of the leadership and 52 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 2: the public sector is there. Ultimately the public sector that 53 00:02:19,680 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 2: is there to serve the government of the day, and 54 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:24,920 Speaker 2: they have to do that without fear or favor. 55 00:02:25,600 --> 00:02:28,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. See, that's what That's why I raise the question 56 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:30,920 Speaker 1: because that's the theory on the piece of paper that 57 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 1: they're there to serve the government of the day. When 58 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: you see pushback, they're not serving the government of the day. 59 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: They're serving themselves, aren't they. 60 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, And that's an issue that they have to deal with. Ultimately, 61 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,640 Speaker 2: if you can't serve the government, then you have to 62 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: make decision around where your career is going. But ultimately, 63 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: good people will make this work. And I'm confident we've 64 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: got good people. 65 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: Good stuff. Good luck with the job, So Brian Right, 66 00:02:51,440 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: who's the new Public Service Commissioner? For more from the 67 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:58,320 Speaker 1: Mic Asking Breakfast, listen live to news talks they'd be 68 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,080 Speaker 1: from six am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.