Deputy State Services Commissioner appointed

Prime Minister Helen Clark announced today that Iain Rennie has been appointed Deputy State Services Commissioner.

Helen Clark said that Mr Rennie is currently the Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Branch Manager, Regulatory and Tax Policy Branch, a position he has held since 2003.

The Governor General made the appointment on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. The position has all the functions, duties, and powers of the Commissioner.

"The Deputy State Services Commissioner’s major role is to support the Commissioner by undertaking statutory responsibilities such as the appointment of Public Service chief executives, reviewing the performance of chief executives and departments and leading machinery of government reviews across all areas of government.

"In addition, Mr Rennie will have a lead role in ensuring the three central agencies (SSC, the Treasury, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet) work more closely together on improving the performance of government agencies," Helen Clark said.

Mr Rennie has been in the Public Service for twenty years. The majority of his career has been spent at the Treasury where he has been a senior manager for the last nine years. He has participated in two secondments to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, as Acting Director for the Policy Advisory Group in 2004, and as an Economic Advisor from 1990 to 1993.

"In his current role he is responsible for participating in the strategic leadership of the department, providing advice to the Minister of Finance on a wide range of microeconomic policy and fiscal management issues. He has developed good relationships with Ministers, Public Service chief executives, and stakeholders.

"Mr Rennie has a clear understanding of the role of Deputy State Services Commissioner and deep knowledge of government processes. He has the leadership experience and skills to support the central agencies working more collaboratively and to progress work on the Development Goals for the State Services," Helen Clark said.