The public service is a parasitic entity. It feeds off the host, but often provides useful support services for the privilege. It also couldn’t achieve a proximity to the host without first getting receptors within the host’s thinking to believe in the necessity of keeping the parasite alive. Many in the media act as agents for the parasite, unwilling to acknowledge that the parasite might one day cause the very death of the host if the size of the parasite was large enough to overwhelm the host.
I hope this writing is shared far and wide - more people need to wake up to the reality that if the public sector isn’t whipped into shape and brought (back) to heel there is no economic future for our country without divine intervention or super exploitation of our hydrocarbon and mineral resources. Unfortunately same lot that screams “protect nature!” also yells “protect our public service!”
You make a case for why the public service was cut, but if it is simply pay for tax cuts then that's pure politics (when I would prefer they spend money saved on the infrastructure deficit in NZ). My experience of having worked in the public service is a pattern that is oft repeated since the third labour govt which is, cut public servants, then hire contractors later cos the public service does not have the required expertise. I've seen so many restructurings and changes of govt where this happen, and no doubt it will be repeated here
"Growing up in central Wellington, amongst public servants, I was raised around wealth that is only matched nationally by the most moneyed suburbs of Auckland" - give the South Island its due: a house in Christchurch recently sold for $9 million:
Of course the politicians and their staffers are public servants too. Now if they led by example and did not dine out to the extent revealed on an almost daily basis, or if they declined pay increases and didn't double dip with accommodation allowances then I could buy into seat of the pants pubic sector pruning. Even then I would prefer it had been on a disciplined basis and undertaken like the banking industry which has replaced hundreds of cashiers with bots.
The public service is a parasitic entity. It feeds off the host, but often provides useful support services for the privilege. It also couldn’t achieve a proximity to the host without first getting receptors within the host’s thinking to believe in the necessity of keeping the parasite alive. Many in the media act as agents for the parasite, unwilling to acknowledge that the parasite might one day cause the very death of the host if the size of the parasite was large enough to overwhelm the host.
I hope this writing is shared far and wide - more people need to wake up to the reality that if the public sector isn’t whipped into shape and brought (back) to heel there is no economic future for our country without divine intervention or super exploitation of our hydrocarbon and mineral resources. Unfortunately same lot that screams “protect nature!” also yells “protect our public service!”
You make a case for why the public service was cut, but if it is simply pay for tax cuts then that's pure politics (when I would prefer they spend money saved on the infrastructure deficit in NZ). My experience of having worked in the public service is a pattern that is oft repeated since the third labour govt which is, cut public servants, then hire contractors later cos the public service does not have the required expertise. I've seen so many restructurings and changes of govt where this happen, and no doubt it will be repeated here
"Growing up in central Wellington, amongst public servants, I was raised around wealth that is only matched nationally by the most moneyed suburbs of Auckland" - give the South Island its due: a house in Christchurch recently sold for $9 million:
https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350242583/citys-house-record-broken-again-time-mystery-9-million-sale
Of course the politicians and their staffers are public servants too. Now if they led by example and did not dine out to the extent revealed on an almost daily basis, or if they declined pay increases and didn't double dip with accommodation allowances then I could buy into seat of the pants pubic sector pruning. Even then I would prefer it had been on a disciplined basis and undertaken like the banking industry which has replaced hundreds of cashiers with bots.
Excellent article