What responsibility, if any, does the Public Service Commissioner have to protect Public Service chief executives from politically motivated pressure from ministers and what action, if any, is he able to take?

Answer

I am advised that the Commissioner acts as the employer of public service chief executives (i.e. chief executives of departments and departmental agencies) and in that context may provide them support in relation to their relationships with ministers. In the case of a Crown agent (such as Kāinga Ora), the board of the entity is the employer of the chief executive and is responsible for managing the entity’s relationship with its responsible minister and providing any necessary support to its employees.