24 Jan 2005

Report calls for more efficiency from Niue's public service

1:54 pm on 24 January 2005

The author of a draft report on the Niue Public Service says it needs to be more efficient for the recent agreement between the New Zealand and Niue governments to work.

The report by Don Hunn, a former state services commissioner for New Zealand, says there needs to be an improvement in attitude among public servants on Niue when it comes to work ethics.

He says the report was triggered by last year's agreement which aims to enlarge the country's economic base.

Mr Hunn says it was important to see how the public service could be improved.

"The government in Niue is very keen to continue to maintain its sovereignty and is looking to develop much greater self-sufficiency, at the same time as maintaining its relationship with New Zealand and its neighbours in the Pacific. So it's a pretty tall order as to what now needs to be done to develop Niue, to give more emphasis to the private sector and the role of the public service in that future."

Mr Hunn says he is now waiting for a response to the report which has been handed to both the New Zealand and Niue governments.