‘So let down’: Complaints of children’s commissioner whose term was cut short revealed

Newly released documents show Claire Achmad told the public service commissioner the seven-month process that resulted in her not being reappointed was ‘unreasonable and disrespectful’.

In the final weeks of former children commissioner Claire Achmad’s term, she wrote to senior government officials to share “significant concerns” about the process through which she was eventually replaced. Achmad, whose tenure ended in July, three years into what was originally set to be a five-year term, complained about “a lack of respect and professional care” accorded to her as the incumbent who was seeking reappointment.

In 2023, Achmad was appointed by the then Labour government to lead the newly formed independent Crown entity the Children and Young People’s Commission and its board on a five-year term. After the National-led government abolished the board structure and returned the commission to an entity led by a single commissioner in August 2025, Achmad was given a year to remain in the role. She reapplied in late 2025, and was interviewed for the position in March 2026. On July 8, social development minister Louise Upston put out a statement announcing that Jane Searle had been appointed to the position, and would start on August 1. She thanked Achmad for her service.

Documents released to The Spinoff under the Official Information Act show that in one of her final days in the role, Achmad wrote a complaint to Debbie Power, CEO of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD, the agency responsible), to raise “significant concerns” around the process. Public service commissioner Brian Roche was copied into the email.

Her concerns centred around a lack of communication from MSD and an “extremely and unreasonably short” notice period – Achmad was informed she was not being reappointed on June 24, with her final day to be July 31. The timeframe had left Achmad with “hardly any time to complete work underway and to respectfully close out relationships” with children, iwi, MPs and other stakeholders, she wrote, and the impact on her team had been “immensely negative”, especially “following multiple years of previous legislative and organisational change”. “It has unnecessarily placed considerable stress on us,” Achmad wrote.

The upcoming general election meant Achmad's employment prospects in the public sector had been “drastically shortened”, she said. No career coaching, professional opportunities or pastoral care had been offered by MSD. She worried trust in the agency had been “undermined”, with children and young people “left confused and upset as to why my work… is coming to such an abrupt end”.

“It has left me questioning why I have not been afforded a greater level of care and respect as the incumbent applicant,” Achmad wrote. “And as a senior public servant who has gone above and beyond.” She asked for future incumbents seeking reappointment to be treated “with a greater level of care” and offered “practical provisions… in transitioning to other opportunities”. The letter ended with an invitation to meet with Power and Roche “in the coming months”. 

Power responded to Achmad on August 17, three weeks the first email was sent on July 28, and acknowledged the process had created a period of uncertainty for both Achmad and her team. Power said she had asked her team to consider Achmad’s feedback, including the impact of timing of communications and transition support. “I know that many of the check-ins we had with you were less formal than you expected. The team will take that suggestion forward.” Power said she would ask a staffer to arrange a time for the pair to catch up over the next couple of months.

Earlier correspondence included in the documents released to The Spinoff sheds some light on what happened in between Achmad’s interview for the role in March and her departure. On May 8, an MSD official emailed Achmad with an update on her application. “This is a short check in to let you know the appointment process is progressing – I’m sorry not to have definite news for you,” wrote the official. “The Minister is at the stage with the Cabinet APH [Cabinet appointments and honours committee] process where she must consult her colleagues on the role… I do know how uncertain this time is for you and apologise for how long it is taking.”

Achmad replied and asked whether her name had been put forward to the social development Louise Upston, who was responsible for the appointment. The official confirmed it had. “I can advise that your name was one of a very short list put forward to the Minister. The Cabinet consultation will be the major step.”

Proactively released documents show four candidates were interviewed for the position by a panel of three: MSD deputy chief executive (strategy and insights) Sacha O’Dea, former Ministry of Education head Iona Holsted and Wayne Blissett, chair of the Independent Children's Monitor's Māori Advisory Group. The panel sent a shortlist of three, including Achmad, Searle and a third applicant whose identity has been redacted, to Upston in April, noting all three had “suitable senior levels of sector experience and knowledge”. In June, Upston recommended to Cabinet that Searle be appointed to the role. 

Cabinet met to confirm Searle’s appointment on June 16, with her role to commence from August 1. Achmad was advised on June 24 that she had been unsuccessful. Days later, Achmad texted Sacha O’Dea to ask if she could remain in the role until September 4 to have more time to close out her work – this was denied by Upston.

Achmad was told to keep the news of her departure confidential, and on July 3 she asked MSD if she could at least tell her staffers. “Not being able to inform my team – so that we can appropriately manage our operations over the next month – is becoming untenable,” Achmad wrote. She told officials that more time was needed to “close out work respectfully”, and that “having to lie to my kaimahi [staff]” about the reappointment process had felt like “compromising my own values and integrity".

Achmad followed up on the request on July 6, adding that she had “two different ministers seeking to schedule meetings with me in August”. The situation was “extremely awkward”, Achmad wrote. An MSD spokesperson allowed Achmad to inform her team that she would not be reappointed on the afternoon of July 7. The next morning, a press release was issued by the government confirming Searle’s appointment.

In late July, a spokesperson for Upston did not answer specific questions asked by The Spinoff about Achmad’s reappointment. The written response said changes to the commissioner’s tenure had already been signalled by the 2025 law change. “As the minister said on July 8, she thanks Dr Achmad for her dedication and advocacy on behalf of children, leading the organisation through a period of significant change, and passionately championing children’s rights – and wishes her very well for the future,” the spokesperson said.

When Achmad spoke to The Spinoff in her final days as commissioner in late July, she said she “clearly [had] a lot more left to give”. “My wero [challenge] to the incoming children’s commissioner is to build on the mahi that I have been doing together with the team to centre the voices and lived experiences of mokopuna,” Achmad said. “And to continue to speak truth to power and hold decision-makers, including the government, to account.”