Mark Prebble | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Prebble in 2009 | |
| State Services Commissioner | |
| In office May 2004 – 30 June 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Helen Clark |
| Preceded by | Michael Wintringham |
| Succeeded by | Iain Rennie |
| Deputy Secretary tothe Treasury | |
| Secretary of theDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | |
| In office 1998–2004 | |
| Preceded by | Simon Murdoch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1951 (age 74–75) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Relatives | Richard Prebble (brother) Tom Prebble (brother) Antonia Prebble (niece) |
Mark PrebbleCNZM (born 1951) is a former New Zealand civil servant. He was theState Services Commissioner, head of New Zealand's public service from May 2004 until 30 June 2008. On 25 January 2008, Prebble announced his retirement after 32 years in the Public Service.[1]
Prebble was born inAuckland, New Zealand, the youngest son of Kenneth Prebble, a one-time vicar ofSt Paul's Church, Auckland, who later became Archdeacon of Hauraki.[2] His mother was Mary Hoad.[3][2] He has five siblings, including former Labour Cabinet Minister andACT Party leaderRichard Prebble, Victoria University law professor John Prebble, and Massey University professor of education administrationTom Prebble.[2]
Prebble was educated at theUniversity of Auckland, where he graduated with an MA in Economics, and atVictoria University of Wellington, where he earned a doctorate in public policy in 1990. His thesis was titledAn Integrated Approach to Redistribution: Issues of Policy, Economics and Information.[4] Prebble tutored economics at Auckland and Wellington.[citation needed]
Prebble joined theTreasury in 1977, rising to Deputy Secretary of the Department, and acted as Acting Secretary twice. While in non-executive roles at the Treasury, he was an organiser for thePublic Service Association, the principal trade union for public servants.
In 1998, Prebble became Secretary of theDepartment of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, succeedingSimon Murdoch. At the time, Labour Opposition leaderHelen Clark criticised the appointment, describing Prebble as an "apostle of the New Right".[5] Upon winning the 1999 election, however, Clark reappointed Prebble to the role, and is understood to have worked closely with him. While Secretary Prebble received publicity for describingWork and Income New Zealand chief executiveChristine Rankin's clothes as "indecent".[3] He was involved in theCorngate affair, for not releasing four documents after Clark ordered all official papers to be released during the 2002 election campaign.[6]
In 2004, Prebble was appointedState Services Commissioner, as the head of New Zealand's public service, succeedingMichael Wintringham.[5] He was involved in investigations into the dismissal of the Environment ministry communications manager Madeleine Setchell, which led to the resignation of Environment MinisterDavid Benson-Pope.[7] Prebble docked himself 2.5 percent of his own pay over the dismissal, after an inquiry found Prebble forgot to mention a conversation he had with Benson-Pope.[7]
| External image | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Mark Prebbleby Andrew Gorrie/ Dominion Post |
Prebble's first wife died in a blizzard onAoraki / Mount Cook. He remarried, and has two sons and two daughters.[3] His second wife, Lesley Bagnall, died in 2022.[8]
In the2009 New Year Honours, Prebble was appointed aCompanion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for public services.[9]
| Preceded by | State Services Commissioner 2004–30 June 2008 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
