And in a significant move planned for some time, he is bringing the responsibilities of chief digital officer into the Public Service Commission itself. Sir Brian Roche is planning to bring the Government Chief Digital Officer into the Public Service Commission. Roche’s strategic direction was tabled in Parliament in the three-yearly State of the Public Service report just a few weeks before the Manage My Health breach. The 2025 Public Service Census found that while a third of public servants had tried AI, only 14% used it regularly. Roche did not have a “shrink-wrapped” answer to the question of how to integrate the fast-moving developments of AI into a cumbersome public service model of operation.

Source: New Zealand Herald February 03, 2026 23:32 UTC