O le ala i le pule, o le tautua — The road to leadership is through service

Samoan proverb

Supporting collaboration across Pacific public services

The Public Service Fale, established in January 2020, supports Pacific Public Service Commissions to achieve their public sector strengthening goals and deliver quality public services. The Fale provides Pacific Public Service Commissions with practical advice, tools and information, and brokers support and advice from other development partners.  

The Pacific Public Service Leaders’ Group comprises 16 countries and territories represented in the Pacific Island Forum. The 16 Member Countries are the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, New Caledonia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu. The New Zealand and Australia governments support Fale activity.   

The Fale is based at the New Zealand Public Service Commission and is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (NZ).  

Our Mission

To support Pacific Public Service Commissions to achieve their public sector strengthening goals and deliver quality public services. 

Our Goals

  • In the short term, solutions with Pacific contexts at their centre will be identified, coordinated capability building to execute change and improvements in public sector management will be supported, and the promotion of ethical, fair, and inclusive management practices will be promoted. 
  • In the medium term, digital capability will be enhanced, practices to support transparency and accountability will be embedded, and leadership and workforce systems will be strengthened. 
  • In the longer term, Pacific public sectors will continue to grow as trusted, transparent, and adaptable institutions that deliver effective, citizen-centred services across the region. 

Public sector strengthening in the Pacific is broad and diverse, involving many partners and initiatives. The Fale works to support good governance, ethical leadership, and inclusive management practices, all of which are key to meeting sustainable development goals and achieving economic growth. While some development programmes focus on central agencies and others on specific sectors, the Fale is unique in providing direct and dedicated support to Pacific Public Service Leaders at national, subregional and regional levels.  

Aligned with the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, the Fale activity reinforces that strong, transparent, and effective public services are central to regional security, democratic nation-building, and economic prosperity aspirations. The Pacific Public Service Leaders’ Conference (the Fono) reflects this collective purpose - a shared commitment to build capable, trusted, and ethical public services that deliver for Pacific citizens and uphold the vision of a united and resilient Blue Pacific Continent. 

Our approach

The sustainable development goals of the New Zealand government (through the International Development Cooperation (IDC) Programme) and in alignment with Pacific Public Service Commission priorities are at the centre of our efforts. To achieve these goals, the Fale follows the IDC principles of understanding, friendship, mutual benefit and collective ambition in how we design and deliver the Fale’s programme, including:  

  • Building relationships of trust and confidence with Pacific public service leaders that endure. 
  • Committing to ongoing learning to broaden our understanding of the Pacific, Pacific frameworks and tools. 
  • Facilitating and delivering high quality, culturally appropriate and fit for purpose solutions.  

Public Service Fale leadership

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The Public Service Fale is led by Tania Ott, Deputy Commissioner. Tania has led the Fale since August 2020 and is member of the Public Service Commission Leadership team. 

“The Fale’s strategic opportunity is in enabling solutions that have Pacific contexts and ownership at their centre and being ready to support those opportunities as they arise. Strong public institutions support regional security, operation of the rule of law, democratic nation building and economic prosperity aspirations for all Pacific citizens including New Zealand.”  

Tania’s previous roles at the Public Service Commission include Deputy Commissioner, COVID-19 Response and Recovery, and Acting Deputy Chief Executive, Public Sector Performance and Assistant Commissioner. Tania has held senior roles across the New Zealand public service over the past decade and previously served in private secretary and advisor roles to several government Ministers and in the Office of the Prime Minister. Tania holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Auckland and has completed executive leadership programmes at the University of Oxford and Stanford University.