Enemy or ally? Senior officials' perceptions of ministerial advisers before and after MMP

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Date
2006
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Victoria University of Wellington
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Abstract
There is now a well-established literature on the various second-order effects of the adoption of proportional representation in New Zealand. One feature of the contemporary executive landscape, however, remains substantially under-researched. This article reports on research regarding ministerial advisers in New Zealand Cabinet ministers' offices. More specifically, it compares senior public servants' current attitudes towards ministerial advisers with pre-MMP speculation regarding the possible future influence of such advisers. The article concludes that while there are concerns about the possible long-term influence of political advisers, for the majority of senior officials working relationships with ministerial advisers are positive and productive.
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Keywords
ministerial advisers, MMP, politicisation, Cabinet, public service
Citation
POLITICAL SCIENCE, 2006, 58 (1), pp. 3 - 22
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