Comments on: Where’s the plan?

By: JD

JD — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 07:36:20 +0000

I’d have to disagree with you on that Sean. Communications staff numbers exploded with the Labour govnt in office. Of course it’s vital in any democracy for the people to be aware of policies and given the rise of new mediums such as the internet perhaps such an increase was inevitable. The darker side to this was that information was to be ‘managed’ for PR purposes and was part of the politicisation of the public service just as the Clare Curran affair showed us.

By: Sean

Sean — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:28:12 +0000

Actually JD, the policy analysts and communications experts began invading the public service in the 1990s, by 1999 they were everywhere. Indeed, many of them were external consultants. I recall a friend of mine discussing how odd it was for him, an external consultant, being hired by a government department to advise on core policy in 1997-98. I recall another acquaintance who discussed how she could get her department’s messages pass Kim Hill (back when she did Nine to Noon) with heaps of charm and personality.

As for advisors, Minister’s offices have had them for donkey’s years, I wouldn’t be able to say if they started in the 90s, or before.

By: JD

JD — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 09:07:59 +0000

I’m not actually having a go at policy analysts as I count several as friends. However what they actually do is still an enigma. The important point is that before 2000 we got along fine without a phalanax of advisors, communication and policy analysts. The nation didn’t suddenly collapse and then suddenly they’re an integral part of the ‘machinary of government’ once Labour gets in.

Oh well I suppose Labour had to have someone to tell them how to spend the increased surplus.

By: Olwyn

Olwyn — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:51:30 +0000

Excellent comment, Pascal’s Bookie.

By: Nathan Mills

Nathan Mills — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:39:20 +0000

n0exit, if things are so bad, why not leave now, why wait til you’ve finished uni?

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:09:08 +0000

@David – really? You can’t see what is happening? Would your glasses be rose tinted perchance?
To clarify. The clever thing the Nats do is to do the cutting quietly – with stealth – and to use ways to punish anyone who speaks up to loudly (loss of contracts…) – the cutting of the advisory is one example. Keep watching – keep your ears open – and talk to front line staff in education, health and the police (for a start), and see what really is happening. Just because the media are not picking it up does not mean it is not happening.

By: TopCat

TopCat — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:06:26 +0000

“thriving business environment” is code for government sponsored corporate welfare. Watercare and the council funded CCO’s in Auckland will be the first examples of that happening, the second will be the corporatisation/privatisation of SOE’s and things like ACC, the final will be private prisons, tollways PPPs and the like.

This is in lieu of encouraging productivity through better, training, education, wages, scientific progress- which they seem clueless as to how to encourage.

If they follow the first course- there is no way they will be able to reduce taxes and charges.

By: Paul

Paul — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:04:49 +0000

@JD – we have more policy analysts than any country needs – one thing we seemed to ‘grow’ as a country over the last 9 yrs – and while I am most concerned by the way the right is steering the ship – I see the rocks looming – I think it is good to ‘cull’ this particular trend. Unfortunately, when the Nats said cut back on the bureaucracy, they meant all of it – which means that the front line staff are not being replaced in key areas – eg: Education (such as ed pyschs). By all means cull out the over indulgence of analysts but for goodness sake, boost front line staff – not cut them alongside the others.

By: David

David — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:55:53 +0000

Boo Hoo, nothing to moan at because the Nats havent slashed and burnt and flogged everything off and things remain the same as when Labour was running the place despite your prediction.
ACC isnt being privatised because you cant do it. Cullen wrote his Kiwisaver legislation so payments were to be suspended when we were in defecit and it took you 9 years to present a dogs breakfast of the ETS legislation at the last moment.
You keep crying wolf it just makes you look irrational.

By: Jeremy Harris

Jeremy Harris — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:32:32 +0000

@n0exit… You’ll get there just in time for the next Liberal government…

The grass isn’t that much greener my friend…