New Zealand First Party Introduces Bill to Try End DEI Hiring Policies in Public Service

‘Appointments in the public service should not be based on ’forced woke Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion targets,'' NZ’s Deputy PM Winston Peters says.

New Zealanders gather during budget day 2024 at Parliament on May 30, 2024 in Wellington, New Zealand. Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

One of the three parties that make up New Zealand’s coalition government has introduced a Private Members Bill aimed at removing “forced, woke, ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ targets” in public service hiring policies.

At present, the Public Service Act, passed in 2020, requires government departments and agencies to actively work towards a workforce that “reflects the diversity of New Zealand.”

In addition, an initiative called the Papa Pounamu Programme ensures that DEI efforts are embedded across government.

Agencies set targets to increase the proportion of Māori and Pacific employees, particularly in leadership roles, and public service hiring processes often prioritise diverse hiring, including through targeted recruitment strategies, scholarships, and development programs.

They also use “inclusive” job descriptions and selection panels to ensure equitable hiring decisions, with advertisements stating that applications from Māori, Pacific, disabled, and other underrepresented groups are particularly welcome.

While there are no legal quotas, departments are expected to actively improve diversity, meaning applicants from Māori or Pacific backgrounds may be given preference in some hiring decisions to meet workforce representation goals.

A government directive last year emphasised that public services, including health and education, should be prioritised based on need rather than race.

Researchers argued this approach was “unscientific and dangerous,” potentially hindering the effectiveness of targeted services designed to address the specific needs of ethnic communities, which lag behind national averages in terms of outcomes.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters speaks during a debate in Auckland, New Zealand, on Oct. 1, 2020. Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

Cutbacks Already Happening

In response to a demand for cost cutting across the entire public sector, the Public Service Commission announced a reduction in the number of teams responsible for diversity and inclusion work.

The Public Service Association, the union representing civil servants, criticised these cuts, saying they represented a significant step backward for DEI efforts within the public service.

But if NZ First leader and Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has his way, they will end altogether.

“This Bill would put an end to the woke left-wing social engineering and diversity targets in the public sector,” he said in a social media post. “New Zealand is a country founded on meritocracy, not on some mind-numbingly stupid ideology.”

The Bill repeals or amends provisions from clauses in the Public Service Act that mandate the prioritisation of diversity and inclusiveness over merit and competence.

If passed, it removes the responsibility of the Public Service Commissioner, chief executives and boards to promote diversity and inclusiveness as part of being a “good employer,” including specific references to Māori involvement. It also completely excludes workforce diversity and inclusiveness from government workforce policy considerations.

New Zealand flags fly in front of The Beehive at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand on Oct. 20, 2014. Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

“The public service exists to serve New Zealanders, not to be a breeding ground for identity politics,” Peters said.

“Removing woke ‘DEI’ requirements will give the public confidence that the right person is in the right job based on their skills, not their identity.”

Qualified Support From National, Opposition From Labour

Because it’s not a government bill, the chances of it being debated and possibly passed rest entirely on it being drawn from the ballot of Private Members Bills from MPs of all parties.

Senior National MP Chris Bishop said his party would consider it if it won the ballot, saying that, overall, it believed in meritocracy and quality over identity politics but at the same time wanted a “public service that is reflective of modern New Zealand.”

Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said NZ First’s proposal was “ridiculous, frankly.”

“We have a Public Service Act that requires the public service to reflect New Zealand and New Zealanders,” he said.

“I passed that, and I am very proud of it. I think Winston Peters is just basically trying to take a leaf out of Donald Trump’s book.”

He said Trump’s values were inconsistent with those of the majority of New Zealanders.

In an update on its work last month, the Public Service Commission said DEI was about “reflecting and valuing the communities that [the Commission] is here to serve, to build trust and confidence and improve services and outcomes for New Zealanders.

“When we attract, retain, recognise, value and develop the skills and experiences of people across all dimensions of diversity (e.g. gender, ethnicity, disability, rainbow, age), there are multiple benefits.”