The Public Service Fale has visited Papua New Guinea at the request of the PNG Government to advance their good governance and institutional strengthening priorities.
Over five days, the Public Service Commission team met with senior PNG government officials, gaining a deeper understanding of the current Reset@50 reform agenda outlined by Prime Minister Hon James Marape. Focussed on lifting performance of the PNG public sector, it aligns with NZ’s investment in PNG to strengthen capacity and capability to implement public sector management best practice. Sincere thanks to the New Zealand High Commission in Port Moresby, whose regional insights and deep local connections firmly anchored our engagement within the wider NZ–PNG partnership.
Engagements by the Fale included Chief Secretary Mr Ivan Pomaleu, who is overseeing the public sector reforms including consideration of SOE governance; former Deputy Prime Minister Mr Charles Abel, now leading the Reset@50 programme; Chair of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Public Sector Reform, Oro Province Governor Hon Garry Juffa; and Mr David Wereh, CEO of newly established National Monitoring and Coordination Authority. Areas of interest included NZ’s approach to leadership and performance, system guidance such as the NZ Public Service Code of Conduct and system levers such as Performance Improvement Reviews and Turnaround Plans. Insights on devolution and expanding regional service delivery were also canvassed.
The Fale met with counterparts at the Department of Personnel Management and Public Service Commission responsible for recruitment and recommending senior public sector appointments respectively.
We were privileged to be part of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new High Commission Chancery building, to be located on the current Waigani Crescent site. Honoured guests including the Prime Minister Hon James Marape who reflected on both the significance of the whenua and the deep and longstanding ties between NZ and PNG. The Fale’s Deputy Commissioner, Tania Ott joined Prime Minister Marape, New Zealand High Commissioner Peter Zwart and McConnell Dowell representative Gary Nisbet for the sod turning.
As part of their visit to Papua New Guinea, the Fale also spent two days in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Meetings in Buka included ABG Chief Secretary Kearnneth Nanei, and a range of ABG Ministers and Heads of Department, as well as locally based programme officers providing support and advice on good governance and capacity building programmes funded by Australia and New Zealand. We were honoured to join a Women in Leadership breakfast hosted by the New Zealand High Commission team, to celebrate local women leaders supporting and strengthening community initiatives and ABG institutions.
Opportunities for ongoing engagement by the Fale were explored throughout the visit.