Michael Charles Wintringham (born 1947) is a New Zealand public servant. He served as State Services Commissioner, head of New Zealand's public service, from 1997 to 2004. Wintringham was born in Blenheim, went to St John's College, Hastings, and has a BA (Hons) degree from

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. The university is well kno ...

. He started his career in the

New Zealand Treasury The New Zealand Treasury ( mi, Te Tai Ōhanga) is the central public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the Government on economic policy, assisting with improving the performance of New Zealand's economy, and managing fin ...

in 1970, and between 1980 and 1984 was posted to Washington as economic counsellor at the New Zealand Embassy. He then worked as an assistant auditor-general, before leaving the public service to work for a management consultancy in

Wellington Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by metr ...

. Wintringham was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Housing by State Services Commissioner

Don Hunn Donald Kent Hunn (born Wellington 26 December 1934) is a senior New Zealand diplomat and civil servant. Hunn is the son of Sir Jack Hunn, a former Secretary of Defence, Maori Affairs, and Justice. Education Hunn attended Wellington College ...

. In 1997, Wintringham succeeded Hunn as State Services Commissioner and head of New Zealand's public service. In 2001, Wintringham was sued in the Employment Court for

NZ$ The New Zealand dollar ( mi, tāra o Aotearoa; sign: $, NZ$; code: NZD) is the official currency and legal tender of New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, the Ross Dependency, Tokelau, and a British territory, the Pitcairn Islands. Within New ...

1.2 million by former

Work and Income New Zealand The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) (Māori: ''Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora'') is the public service department of New Zealand charged with advising the government on social policy, and providing social services. MSD is the largest public servi ...

chief executive

Christine Rankin Christine Kathryn Rankin (born Greymouth c. 1954) is a New Zealand politician and former civil servant who served as head of the Ministry of Social Development. Civil-service career Rankin originally joined the Department of Social Welfare ( ...

. Incoming social welfare minister Steve Maharey criticised Rankin's personal and management style as chief executive in 1999, and Wintringham chose not to reappoint Rankin to the role in 2001. Rankin made allegations of sexism towards her by officials and ministers. Rankin lost the court case, but some of the evidence given during the hearing by Wintringham and Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet chief executive

Mark Prebble Mark Prebble (born 1951) is a former New Zealand civil servant. He was the State 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 i ...

was embarrassing to all involved, and was the dominant political news topic of the year. Mark Prebble succeeded Wintringham as State Services Commissioner in 2004. Wintringham subsequently became a member of the Remuneration Authority, which sets the rate of pay for MPs, in 2005, and was appointed chairman of the authority in 2009. Wintringham is also chairman of the

Earthquake Commission The Earthquake Commission, ( mi, Kōmihana Rūwhenua), is a New Zealand Crown entity that invests in natural disaster research and education as well as providing natural disaster insurance to residential property owners. In March 2022, a bill ...

. In the

2005 New Year Honours New Year Honours were granted in the United Kingdom and New Zealand at the start of 2005. Among these in the UK were knighthoods awarded to Mike Tomlinson, the educationalist; Derek Wanless, who led a review of the National Health Service; an ...

, Winringham was appointed a

Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Queen of New Zealand, "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have ren ...

, for public services as State Services Commissioner.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wintringham, Michael 1947 births Living people Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit New Zealand public servants Victoria University of Wellington alumni People educated at St John's College, Hastings People from Blenheim, New Zealand