Michael Wintringham

{{short description|New Zealand public servant}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=September 2018}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Michael Wintringham

| honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|size=100%}}

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| office = State Services Commissioner

| term_start = 1997

| term_end = May 2004

| primeminister = Jim Bolger
Jenny Shipley
Helen Clark

| predecessor = Don Hunn

| successor = Mark Prebble

| birth_name = Michael Charles Wintringham

| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1947}}

| birth_place = Blenheim, New Zealand

}}

Michael Charles Wintringham {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|size=85%}} (born 1947) is a New Zealand public servant. He served as State Services Commissioner,{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=197663|title=Yes minister - life imitates art|last=Armstrong |first=John |date=30 June 2001|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=3 March 2010}} head of New Zealand's public service, from 1997 to 2004.

Wintringham was born in Blenheim, went to St John's College, Hastings,{{cite web|url=http://www.archivesearch.co.nz/?webid=MGT&articleid=9448|title=The Management Interview: Michael Wintringham The Thoughtful Bureaucrat|last=Edlin|first=Bob |date=March 2003|work=New Zealand Management|accessdate=3 March 2010}} and has a BA (Hons) degree from Victoria University of Wellington.{{cite web|url=http://pssm.ssc.govt.nz/2002/speakers/wintringhamm.asp|title=The 2002 Speakers|work=Public Service Senior Management Conference|accessdate=3 March 2010|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20040127163024/http://pssm.ssc.govt.nz/2002/speakers/wintringhamm.asp|archivedate=27 January 2004}} He started his career in the New Zealand Treasury 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.

Wintringham was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Housing by State Services Commissioner Don Hunn. 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$1.2 million by former Work and Income New Zealand chief executive Christine Rankin.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=227980|title=State service head dodges fallout from Rankin case|last=Mold|first=Francesca|date=13 November 2001|work=The New Zealand Herald|accessdate=3 March 2010}} 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 was embarrassing to all involved, and was the dominant political news topic of the year.

{{external media

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| image1 = [http://www.eqc.govt.nz/downloads/images/ar-08-chairman.jpg Michael Wintringham]}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/remuneration+authority+chair+appointed|title=Remuneration Authority chair appointed|date=28 September 2009|publisher=New Zealand Government|accessdate=3 March 2010}} Wintringham is also chairman of the Earthquake Commission.

In the 2005 New Year Honours, Winringham was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for public services as State Services Commissioner.{{cite web | url=https://www.dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2005 | title=New Year honours list 2005 |date=31 December 2004 | publisher=Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet | accessdate=3 September 2018}}