We are delivering an action plan to strengthen Public Service integrity.
Integrity is a core expectation that people have of the New Zealand Public Service. It is central to building and maintaining trust in government, and supports the legitimacy and functioning of our democracy. In doing so, it also delivers huge economic benefits. Integrity ensures that when the power of the state and public resources are used, the public interest is protected.
Several recent international and domestic assessments have highlighted that the threats to public integrity are complex and rapidly evolving. The Commission supports individual public servants and Public Service agencies to act in line with professional standards that uphold the public interest over individual or private interests.
We are delivering an action plan to strengthen Public Service integrity. It will help shift our focus from responding to poor behaviour to proactively strengthening the system to prevent it.
The action plan describes our priority integrity work programme for the next 3 years (to 2028). It is designed to support the Public Service Commissioner’s broader integrity function, to promote integrity, transparency and accountability.
Action plan focus areas
The action plan will coordinate system leadership more efficiently and effectively in 4 focus areas:
- Resetting expected standards of integrity and conduct and driving improvements in agency practice, policies and processes,
- Improving conflict of interest identification and management,
- Improving complaints management within agencies, and
- Progressing domestic and international commitments to prevent and strengthen the system against corruption and fraud.
Each focus area has a series of actions to be delivered over the next 3 years. We will lead the action plan, working in partnership with key agencies (including the Serious Fraud Office and Ministry for Justice).
We will report to the Minister for the Public Service on progress against the plan, and use a range of measures (including, for example, Kiwis Count and Te Taunaki Public Service Census) to monitor Public Service integrity.
Further information will be added to this page as the plan is delivered.
OGP Fifth National Action Plan
In December 2025, the Minister for the Public Service approved New Zealand's fifth National Action Plan (NAP5) under the Open Government Partnership. The Minister's theme for NAP5 is 'Strengthening integrity in the Public Service'. It complements the action plan to strengthen integrity, with several 'go further' actions co-designed as NAP5 commitments.
More information on the Open Government Partnership and NAP5 can be found on our website.