Anne Herman has been reappointed as Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAFF) marking it her third consecutive term as Head of Ministry (HoM).

In a statement, the Office of the Public Service Commissioner said Herman’s re- appointment is a testament to her numerous achievements in the role, exceptional leadership, and dedication to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Heads of Ministries (HoMs) are employed under three-year term contracts. Pursuant to the Public Service Amendment Act 2009, a HoM’s employment may be extended once through re-appointment, subject to the fulfilment of performance criteria during the initial term.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs carries an extensive mandate including social welfare, labour and consumer, family support and protection, human-rights and social policy and island wide beautification. In addition to its main office on Rarotonga, the Ministry maintains nine Pa Enua offices.

During her previous two terms, OPSC said: “Herman has demonstrated exemplary performance in leading the Ministry, with a particular focus on establishing and driving key initiatives. Her drive, wealth of experience and broad management expertise in a wide range of disciplines has made her the ideal choice to continue leading the Ministry in its mission; to provide support, promote and foster a better standard of living in the Cook Islands.”

Herman has also forged and renewed many regional and international partnerships and is well-known in the region as a speaker and promoter of women’s leadership and human rights in all spheres. She introduced the first creche into the Ministry for staff and piloted a very successful Disability Employment Programme with support from the Australian Government as well as creating a new Social Policy focus on “Positive Ageing”.

Herman said: “The past two terms with the Ministry have been extremely rewarding, the work is dynamic, progressive and most of all, much needed. Our society is resilient, practical, and responsive and I have been privileged to witness this first-hand throughout the pandemic and through my visits to the Pa Enua and abroad. Together with the Ministers I have served, and the team I have led, we have all been fortunate to be in a position to make some amazing changes for our people, but there will always be more work to be done.”

Public Service Commissioner Carl Hunter expressed his confidence in Herman stating: “I am thrilled that Anne has been reappointed to lead the Ministry of Internal Affairs for a third term.”

“Since her initial appointment as Head of INTAFF, Anne has demonstrated a deep passion and commitment to ensuring that the Ministry performs to the highest level, providing those critical services it is mandated to deliver for the betterment of our people. A team-player who is focused and innovative, Anne leads her INTAFF crew by example and expects her team to perform to the best of their abilities.

“Mindful of her wealth of management experience and skillsets, it is my expectation that Anne will take the Ministry to new heights over the next three years, building on the solid foundation that has been achieved during her first two terms at the helm of INTAFF. Over the past three years Anne and I have developed a professional relationship that is built on mutual trust and respect, and I look forward to working closely with Anne and her hard-working team at the Ministry over her next term.”

As part of Herman’s re-appointment, she will be responsible for spearheading critical projects. These include:

• leading a thorough review of the Decent Work Country Plan 2024-27 supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), identifying areas for improvement, and formulating strategies to promote decent work opportunities for the community;
• launching the first National Domestic Violence Policy 2024-27;
• reforming of the caregiving and childcare industries; and
• conducting a national disability study.