Release Of Review Report On Te Puni Kokiri

The State Services Commissioner, Michael Wintringham, today released the review report on Te Puni Kokiri and its handling of various matters concerning Te Mangai Paho.

The review was commissioned in June 2003. The review was intended to establish the quality of Te Puni Kokiri's management systems and the operation of these systems by Te Puni Kokiri's officials, and to determine whether there is a need to take further action to ensure that the systems meet public expectations.

The Deputy State Services Commissioner, Tony Hartevelt, led the review on behalf of the Commissioner. The review was to be carried out in three sequential parts, as outlined in its Terms of Reference (www.ssc.govt.nz). This report contains the findings from the first part.

The reviewers identified and accessed all relevant material and interviewed 30 people. In summary, the review found:

* the quality of Te Puni Kokiri's crown entity monitoring system was inadequate;

* the quality of the Ministerial support system was also inadequate;

* some improvements would have helped avoid inaccuracies due to error; but

* those improvements would not necessarily have detected the information apparently concealed by a Te Mangai Paho employee.

* Mr Wintringham says the review report reinforces the serious consequences of departments not getting 'the basics' right.

* "Departments need to make sure that their day to day systems and processes work smoothly and their Ministers are well supported.

* "Where this doesn't happen, doing the important work for the long term - identifying priorities and organising capability and resources to deliver on those priorities - is that much harder," he said.

* "Looking forward, I am assured that things will change. Since this review was initiated, neither the environment nor the organisations involved have remained the same.

* "Most of the immediate deficiencies, and the need for better performance over the long term, had either been evident to the chief executive and senior management, or were identified in work currently being carried out by the Ministry.

* "Te Puni Kokiri is addressing the specific areas of concern noted in this review.

* "I have therefore agreed: *

* that informed by the State Services Commission's review to date, Te Puni Kokiri's own proposed change programme be expanded;

* to suspend the current review; and

* that the State Services Commission will carry out an oversight role collaborating with Te Puni Kokiri to achieve long term change.

"The Commission will now be looking forward and supporting the chief executive, Leith Comer, as he puts in place a new strategic plan which will improve the long term effectiveness of Te Puni Kokiri," he said.

The review report and terms of reference can be found online at: http://www.ssc.govt.nz/tpk-review-report

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