Appointment of Deputy Secretary to the Treasury

Secretary to the Treasury John Whitehead today announced the appointment of Peter Mersi to the position of Deputy Secretary to the Treasury. Mr Mersi will head the Treasury’s Social Policy Branch, which advises Ministers on education, health, labour market policies, housing and law enforcement.

Mr Mersi was previously Manager of the Market Interventions Section within the Treasury’s Regulatory and Tax Branch. He has been acting in the role of Deputy Secretary, and heading the Treasury’s Regulatory and Tax Policy Branch since Mr Whitehead’s appointment as Acting Secretary to the Treasury in September 2002.

Mr Mersi has also held positions with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Labour, and the Department of Trade and Industry. From 1987 to 1990, he worked as an Economist with the Bank of New Zealand. He has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University of Wellington, majoring in Economics, and is a member of the New Zealand Association of Economists.

“I am delighted that Peter has agreed to take up the position of Deputy Secretary, and very much look forward to working with him in his new role,” Mr Whitehead said.

The appointment will be effective as of 4 August 2003.

Upon Mr Mersi’s appointment, Peter Bushnell, who currently heads the Treasury’s Social Policy Branch will move to head the Budget and Macroeconomic Branch. The current head of the Budget and Macroeconomic Branch, Iain Rennie will move to head the Regulatory and Tax Policy Branch.

The Treasury has five branches - Budget and Macroeconomic Branch, Social Policy, Regulatory and Tax Policy, Asset and Liability Management, and Corporate - each headed by a Deputy Secretary to the Treasury. Together with the Secretary to the Treasury, these five Deputy Secretaries make up the Treasury’s senior management team.

ENDS