Our intentions: Promoting integrity in the public service

The public service can operate with legitimacy only if it has the trust and confidence of the people it serves. The public expects the public service to act with integrity and for public servants to be held to account when they do not. Acting with integrity means doing the right thing by complying with the law and following sound moral and ethical principles.

Under the Public Service Act 2020, the Public Service Commissioner is expected to promote integrity, accountability, and transparency throughout the public service, including by setting standards and issuing guidance. The Act also gives the Commissioner the power to conduct investigations and inquiries into alleged integrity breaches.

Te Kawa Mataaho|Public Service Commission (the Commission) has published codes of conduct, model standards, and guidance covering a range of situations to help public servants meet expected standards of integrity and conduct.

What we are focusing on

We will look at how well the Public Service Commission is promoting integrity through the use of the codes of conduct, model standards, and guidance it produces. We want to understand whether the guidance and standards are easy to find and understand, whether they are relevant and current, and what the Public Service Commission is doing to ensure that public servants know about them and when they are expected to use them.

We also want to understand how well the Public Service Commission is measuring and reporting on the impact of its work to promote integrity. This will include looking at how governors and chief executives are held to account for applying the codes of conduct, model standards, and guidance in their organisations.

The difference we expect to make

Our work will provide Parliament and the public with an independent view on how well the Public Service Commission is promoting integrity in public organisations.

We will highlight what the Public Service Commission is doing well and identify where it could improve.

We expect to complete this work in the third quarter of 2025.

Please use the feedback form on the right if you’d like to speak to a staff member about this performance audit, make a suggestion, or ask a question.