FuelFools

I don't want my public service cut Mr Kerr

What the hell does Roger "I think I'm King Arthur" Kerr know about the public service?

I've just listened to him belting on in a radio programme about public spending, saying there are definitely areas for cost savings, and quoting percentages and numbers.

What? Do you measure everything in dollars Mr Kerr?

In fact, as the economy has grown in the last five years, public spending has reduced as a proportion. But the demands on services has increased.

Voters asked for more police and more people in jail, so we've got them - and that costs. September 11 meant we have to spend more on customs and that costs. Health services cost more and more as the population ages. Public focus on child abuse has meant more staff required to work in this area. People want to hear kiwi in the bush again, so we need field staff to achieve this.

In fact, you name the public service and you will find the public expectations and demands for it have increased.

And this is my point - you can't measure this only by simply looking at the amount of dollars being spent. Doing so is a typical accounting/economist way of looking at things.

What about looking at measures of quality? If there is X demand for a service, how effectively is the service being delivered? Is it working? Is it solving the problem or answering the need? Simply saying "let's save 5% here by firing a few people" is completely daft and so last century thinking.

One economist pointed out that National couldn't keep public spending under control when it was last in power, and can't see their policies to make things any different if they get in this time. I agree.

People from all areas of the public service are saying they do everything on the smell of an oily rag, and the staff are highly dedicated. I know many people who work in public service, and they are very dedicated and pride themselves on doing a good job. The only ones I see in our own Department wasting money are managers, and that doesn't seem much different to what I've seen going on in private business during my time there.

Personally, I've never seen the need for the Business Round Table. Everything they do and say seems completely self-serving, and only designed to help their members make more profits for their fat selves, mostly by convincing us things would be better if they owned public property and public entities, so they can sell back the service to us, at a great big profit.

Fornicate off Mr Kerr. You're a con man and why should I trust your word over the word of someone who works with children every day or sweeps our streets so the place looks tidy? What the hell do you really contribute to NZ, Mr Kerr? I bet you pay stuff-all tax, because you've got some trust setup or some shelf company or any one of a multitude of weasel techniques that so many rich bastards seem to use to minimise their tax payout.

No, we need to start measuring things sensibly. Quoting percentages, which is often a dodgey technique for hiding facts, is not good enough anymore Mr Kerr. Go and get some real facts and then come back to us. Say, in fifty years.

posted by About Greg Comfort @ 8:30 am