Greens say Public Service Commissioner ‘out of step’ for ordering removal of Change the Government postcards

Author: Azaria Howell,
Publish Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2026, 5:00am

The Green Party claims the Public Service Commissioner is “out of step” with his predecessors for urging the main public service union not to display postcards that call for a change of Government.

Correspondence to agencies, released to the Greens under the Official Information Act, shows this is the first instance where a commissioner has written to Government department chief executives about the Public Service Association’s (PSA) election-related material.

Commissioner Sir Brian Roche is standing by his decision to call for the takedown of the public service union’s “Change the Government” postcards in Government agency offices.

The Public Service Commission told Newstalk ZB it was also the first time it had received requests for advice from public sector agencies about union election campaign material.

The commission said its guidance was clear that election advertising in public service workplaces was not appropriate, and the commissioner believed the postcards were “clearly” election advertising.

Green MP Francisco Hernandez said it was a nuanced situation.

He said the party supported the directive for public-facing space but saw no issue with workers displaying the postcards at their cubicles, as this could interfere with freedom of expression and association.

“Regardless of whether it is a political statement or not, the main concern we have is freedom of expression.”

The PSA met with the commissioner in mid-August over its members distributing the postcards ahead of this year’s general election.

The commissioner wrote to the union in late July, stating it was “clearly election advertising” and to display or distribute the material in Government agency offices was in conflict with guidance around political neutrality.

“I am disappointed that public servants have been put in the unacceptable position where they have been asked to display and distribute material clearly inconsistent with our guidance,” Roche wrote.

PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said the union stood by the campaign.

“The Government plans 9000 more job cuts so we are sending a loud and clear message that enough is enough and come 7 November we urge voters to change the Government,” Fitzsimons said.

Following the meeting, Roche said he was “not persuaded” by the union’s arguments and would not be changing his position.

He informed Government agency leaders about this stance in late July and early August.

In late July, the commissioner told Government agencies, “the postcards are clearly election advertising” and therefore do not align with neutrality requirements.

“Thank you to the public servants, including PSA delegates, who sought clarification about this in the context of public sector political neutrality obligations - it was the right thing to do,” Roche wrote.

In August, following the meeting with the PSA, the commissioner informed agencies the union “challenged” his view.

“I want to confirm that I remain firmly of the view that the material is inappropriate for display or distribution in our workplaces,” the commissioner wrote.

Roche said the same principle would apply regardless of the political message, party or parties involved, or the organisation promoting it

He told agencies to “continue to support your people to understand the distinction between their rights as citizens and their responsibilities as public servants”.

A commission spokesman said public servants and the public service itself “need to be kept safe from any accusations” around political neutrality.

Azaria Howell is a multimedia reporter working from Parliament’s press gallery. She joined NZME in 2022 and became a Newstalk ZB political reporter in late 2024, with a keen interest in public service agency reform and government spending.