Strained or broken? The future(s) of the public service bargain

Abstract

Over 60 years ago the first political science professor at Wellington’s Victoria University, Leslie Lipson, noted in his 1948 The Politics of Equality that: With the political parties the modern [New Zealand]civil service has struck a mutually beneficial bargain. By guaranteeing to public servants a life’s career and a pension, parties have foresworn the use of patronage and have guaranteed to the state’s employees their tenure of their jobs. In return the parties expect, and the public servants owe, equal loyalty to any government which the people have placed in office. (Lipson, 1948, p.479)