Religion question dropped, then retained, in public service survey

Public Service Minister Judith Collins said some questions concerning religion, te reo Māori and rainbow identities infringed on people’s privacy, or were not relevant to the public service getting on with the job. She also had no problem with adding extra questions about whether the sector delivered value for money.

The Public Service Commission’s census was a voluntary survey run in March. It was a follow-up to an initial survey in 2021.

Radio New Zealand reported that a response to an Official Information Act request showed Ms Collins’ office suggested changes including the removal of questions about disability, rainbow identities, religion, te reo Māori proficiency levels, on-the-job training and agencies’ commitment to the Māori-Crown relationship.

The minister’s office suggested that the “inclusion” section be removed, shifting those questions to the “integrity and conduct” section, and also proposed changing a question about whether agencies support and promote “an inclusive workplace” to instead ask about “a workplace where people are respectful towards one another”.

Questions about sexual orientation, and trans or intersex identities, and whether people were referred to using their preferred pronouns were replaced with a single yes-or-no question about whether people identified as LGBTQUIA+.

The question about religion was retained, after it was pointed out this was a recommendation from the Royal Commission inquiry into the Christchurch terror attacks.

Ms Collins stood by her actions, saying it showed she was active – and the previous Government was not, when it signed off the last such survey.

Public Service Commission deputy chief executive Hugo Vitalis said the focus of the census would change each time and align “to shifting priorities within the public service, including what needs to be delivered for the New Zealand public”.

“The Minister for the Public Service was consulted, which is appropriate, given her portfolio responsibility, as the then-Minister was consulted for the first census in 2021. The Public Service Commissioner made the final call on the questions.”

However, this final call followed a signoff from the minister, confirming which questions she wanted retained and which she wanted removed, after responses from the commission’s staff. The survey carried out in March reflected the minister’s preferences.

FULL STORY

Judith Collins defiant over survey involvement: ‘The Greens are frankly bonkers’ (By Russell Palmer/Radio New Zealand)