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Posts Tagged ‘public sector’

Broken Promise No.15

Posted by Grant Robertson on February 8th, 2011

So the big idea to kick-start the New Zealand economy in John Key’s Opening Statement to Parliament today was to have a bash at public servants and propose the re-organisation of the public sector. Tired old stuff, and we won’t dwell on how this will actually create jobs, but more than that the second part of the “plan” is a huge break of the promise John Key made before the 2008 election. This is what he said to the PSA Congress in 2008

I also want to reassure people – and this is my second point – that a new National Government is not going to radically reorganise the structure of the public sector.Our focus is squarely on delivering services, not on changing the wiring diagram of the state sector to get a tidier conceptual model.

Few problems are solved by significant reorganisations – in fact, many more tend to be created. It is easy to underestimate the amount of energy and inspiration soaked up by institutional change, as well as the loss of personal and institutional knowledge.

Just as Labour has done, we will take opportunities to make changes to some agencies as part of the usual business of government. However, there will be no wholesale reorganisation or restructuring across the public sector.

Read his lips- no wholesale reorganisation or restructuring. I guess that sits along side the promise to cap but not cut the public service in the same speech, or not to increase GST or……

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Filed under: public services
14 Comments

National’s double standards

Posted by Chris Hipkins on August 20th, 2010

Since they took office, John Key’s National government have been putting our public services under the blowtorch. Most public servants have been refused pay increases and thousands have lost their jobs. But it seems not all spending of taxpayer money is subject to the same level of scrutiny and restraint.

Since National came to power the number of Beehive staff earning over $100,000 a year has more than doubled. Under Helen Clark’s leadership there was only one Beehive staffer who earned over $150,000 a year. John Key seems to think he needs at least 10 of them.

It seems different rules also apply when it comes to pay increases within the Beehive. Questions I asked of Key earlier this year revealed that a number of Beehive staff had been given pay rises, but he refused to release any further information on how big the pay rises were. I asked him again recently and here is his answer:

“I am advised that a small number of ministerial office staff received pay increases, primarily as the result of promotion to new roles in the period 9 February to 5 August 2010. I am not prepared to release specific details about the individual increases.”

Why not? I haven’t asked for any information that would identify individual staff members. All I’ve asked for is information on the scale of the increases and the number of staff who are getting them. National is telling hard-working Kiwis they aren’t allowed pay rises, why should their hired helpers get different treatment?

At a time when many New Zealanders are struggling to pay for the basics like electricity and food, they will find Key’s refusal to front up, justify and explain why he thinks his own staff should be subject to different standards pretty disappointing.

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Filed under: national, parliament
21 Comments

National: No New Ideas

Posted by Iain Lees-Galloway on February 15th, 2010

Simon Power is the MP for Rangitikei, the electorate that completely surrounds mine in Palmerston North. I see quite a bit of him and get on with him quite well. Generally speaking I think he’s one of the more sensible Nats and definitely one of the most competent.

But Simon’s response to the Misuse of Drugs Act review is wrong. To dismiss such a comprehensive piece of work out of hand not only shows disdain for the Law Commission but for the people of New Zealand.

It’s an issues paper, which means it is open for discussion and consultation. But Simon has shut down the discussion and basically told us there is no point in engaging in the consultation. All because John Key decided he would make a ‘war on P’ central to his popularity strategy.

Of course the National Party is a conservative party so it’s not great surprise. But should being conservative be an excuse to ignore any new ideas?

It seems new, good ideas don’t get much air time at cabinet. Look at what the first year of National-led government has brought us: Laissez-faire economics, tax-cuts for the rich, cuts to the public sector, National Standards in primary schools. All old ideas. All bad ideas.

I hope the bigger thinkers in cabinet can start having a bit more say. C’mon Simon, you’re better than this.

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Filed under: alcohol and other drugs, health, justice
8 Comments

Job Losses

Posted by Grant Robertson on May 15th, 2009

Tonight, during the Auckland Governance debate Bill English came down to the House and gave an angry speech bemoaning that he could not be in his electorate today so he could sympathise with workers laid off at the Bright Wood Sawmill. He blamed the Labour Party for this and suggested that we did not care about job losses. We do care, and our sympathies are with the Bright Wood workers.

But I have a message for Mr English- the reason you are still in Wellington is because your party is seeking to by-pass the democratic process, and push through the most fundamental changes to governance in our largest city under urgency. This means no opportunity for Aucklanders to have their say. Labour (assisted by the Greens, and from time to time the Maori Party) are the last line of defence for debate on this major piece of legislation. We have made the offer to National that the we will let the legislation go through , if they will send the bill to a select committee. But they have refused.

For Mr English, I have a suggestion. If he wants to talk to people who have lost their jobs- he can do that in Wellington. There are hundreds of public servants here who have lost their jobs in this town, at his hand.  Or do those people losing their jobs not count Mr English?

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Filed under: Auckland, democracy, labour, national
3 Comments