• Full Story

Labour: Govt is breaking pre-election promise

Email
Print

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 11:54a.m.

Tony Ryall

Tony Ryall

The Government's plan to reorganise state services with possible mergers in departments, ministries and agencies is a broken pre-election promise by Prime Minister John Key, Labour's state services spokesman Grant Robertson said today. The Dominion Post reported today that the Government is expected to announce plans Wednesday for three mergers in Internal Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the science sector.

The paper said it was unknown if any jobs would be shed, but functions such as human resources, IT, payroll and communications were likely to have cut backs.

State Services Minister Tony Ryall told NZPA today the Government was always looking for improvements, but no decisions had yet been made.

Mr Robertson said though there were efficiencies to be found in a number of departments, the cost of the possible changes could outweigh the benefits.

"The plan proposes radical reorganisation which will carry a large financial cost not to mention the distraction for staff which could result in poorer services for Kiwis," he said.

The paper said that among the possible changes was a new "Ministry of Information," which would fold National Library and National Archives into the Internal Affairs Department. Land Information New Zealand and Statistics has also been considered in the merger.

Mr Robertson said the fear now is that the plan to form a mega-Ministry is just the tip of the iceberg.

"Sources are telling me that other public service departments are in line for similar wholesale changes. This is not what Kiwis were promised."

Mr Robertson noted Mr Key had said in September 2008 that "a new National government is not going to radically reorganise the structure of the public sector.

"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."

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry could also undergo changes with the Food Safety Authority expected to be brought back under its roof.

In the science sector, the Foundation of Research, Science & Technology and Research, Science & Technology Ministry could be merged.

NZPA

Become a fan of 3 News on Facebook and on Twitter.

Post a Comment

Before commenting, please take the time to read our moderation guide


(Won't be published)



Comments

07 Mar 2010 09:19p.m.

mark wrote:

shut down any department that is not able to articulate it's purpose. dann that's most of them. however, shut down the global warming and emissions scam department. noting both the IPCC and NIWA say there is not warming no longer can deniers be called deniers. the only deniers are those of the truth. shut down nick smith too

07 Mar 2010 07:56p.m.

martin wrote:

There's only three choices in NZ...either a beaurocrat or DBP eater that us hard working tax payers support. That's why I voted national is to get more people earning their keep.

07 Mar 2010 03:06p.m.

eddie wrote:

william

Don't be such a labour suck up...see what labour poured into Heath over 9yrs of global prosperity, now after a global recession..you want it bigger and more money added...you muppet!

Take a look william at the 'managers', 'consultants' and boards set up under Labour for health...and tell me..us all, why you think National are bad in doing what they are planning, be interesting to hear if you actually know what you are blethering on about.

07 Mar 2010 02:58p.m.

Lightseed wrote:

Really William? I know people who under this new government have had to wait less than a month for an appointment with a specialist then to having their surgery. Perhaps you can try to deal with the topic rather than trying to get personal and make childish personal attacks. I really cannot stand this new New Zealand attitude where people such as yourself try to ignore the topic by attacking the people.

06 Mar 2010 11:12p.m.

Kiwi wrote:

So why don't you do the rest of us a favour and leave the country William. You gripe and moan about the health system failing you yet your still here taking up space that so many other people would love to have.

06 Mar 2010 08:56p.m.

R.A wrote:

Here we go again , slash and burn Ryall . Some of the comments here about blaot, dead wood ,,,,,,,,,,,,, hey these people are hard working Mum and Dad Kiwis . Does anyone remember the Police computer... like I said , here we go again .

06 Mar 2010 06:54p.m.

Bob wrote:

Just a damn shame they can cull the dead wood, blote and incompetence in the private sector. It is an indictment when SOEs are run more efficiently and profitably than the vast majority of private companies.

Nothing new I suppose. New Zealanders did enjoy their highest standard of living when the State was the largest employer, which begs the question; who really benefits from a more efficient economy?

06 Mar 2010 06:53p.m.

hemi wrote:

Gosh William and I thought I was cynical! You would like a lack of efficiency and a poorly run top heavy administration duplicating many activities paid for by the public. All in the interests of not changing anything? Ostrich mentality.

And Tony Ryall, nothing constructive to offer so attacks (bit like you)
Nothing is for nothing (well the sun comes up) otherwise there is a cost or you wait. We are going to have to get real as we cannot afford the present State Services system.

06 Mar 2010 05:10p.m.

Marcos wrote:

Kiwi men dress pretty badly at work, but this guy, Tony Ryall, can even be worse. I simply can't take him seriously.

06 Mar 2010 05:03p.m.

William wrote:

Such idiots, all of you.. just because the departments will merge doesnt mean less beurocrats and managers.. perhaps less buildings but just because these departments merge doesnt lessen the work load, infact all you have is less people doing more work which lengthens the time that it takes to get anything done.

Kiwi and Lightseeds reaction are of course a given, brainless the pair of them.

Waited a year for an ENT appointment after National had made changes to the health system and I was on the priority list.

The hospital system is understandable, lack of requisite specialists, very few of them capable of making an adequate diagnosis, and why? because National and Labour have been shrinking these departments and cutting back on services for decades.

With Both National and Labour closing down rural hospitals and services.
Now hospitals in our main centres are full of doctors and specialists that would be considered mediocre at best in a decent hospital anywhere else in the world.

This is what happens when government condenses services... they become worse at deliveriing what we expect of them.

People like kiwi like to have a moan... from memory he works in a hospital... but what he is wanting really is an decrease in beurocrats in exchange for an increased pay packet for the lack of skills he provides.