The Taxpayers' Union says it welcomes intervention from the Public Service Commission over a video that appeared to show Oranga Tamariki's political endorsement of its minister.
The video was posted to Minister for Children Tracey Martin's Facebook page earlier in October and was made to "acknowledge and thank the minister for her work with the agency over the last three years", according to the Public Service Commissioner.
Taxpayers' Union executive director Jordan Williams said he complained to the Public Service Commission about whether the post was politically neutral. Public servants are required to carry out their job in a politically neutral way and keep their personal politics out of the role.
Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes responded to Williams' complaint, saying he expects public servants "to take care in their words and in their actions" to ensure they won't be seen as politically biased.
"I am advised the video in question was produced to acknowledge and thank the minister for her work with the agency over the last three years. I have no issue with public servants thanking their ministers. That is good manners," he wrote in a letter to Williams.
"However, in this situation, in my view the content of the video could be interpreted as political endorsement of the minister and government policies and that is not appropriate."
Hughes said he discussed the video with Oranga Tamariki chief executive Grainne Moss.
"She is clear about the need to uphold neutrality in her agency and regrets that the video created the potential for that to be called into question on this occasion," he said.
"The video has also been taken down. I therefore consider that no further action is necessary on my part."
Moss reiterated in a statement the video was made as a "personal acknowledgement" of Martin's work with Oranga Tamariki during the three years of this Government's term.
"I regret that the political neutrality of the agency has been called into question with the video, that was never the intention," she said.
An Oranga Tamariki spokesperson said Martin was the one who chose to delete the video from her page.
Williams said Oranga Tamariki is funded to deliver services to children, "not to produce propaganda for its current political master".
"Public sector neutrality is especially important this close to an election, so we welcome the Commissioner's intervention and suggest that other agencies take it as a warning."
Newshub has contacted Martin for comment.
