Comments on: SST also calls for Matthews to go

By: Nigel Kearney

Nigel Kearney — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:07:38 +0000

I don’t actually blame Matthews for the failures. Correction is completely dysfunctional. Given the culture and personnel of the department, and the legal framework they operate under, I think it would be a disaster under any chief executive. They could replace him with Jenny Shipley and get very little improvemnt.

It is a classic case of being responsible but not to blame.

What I don’t like is the weaselly way he responds when something bad happens. He can’t stop it happening again but he could be more forthright in accepting responsibility.

By: PhilBest

PhilBest — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:44:48 +0000

DPF pointed out:

“……And it was not just an occassional lapse. It was in the majority of cases…..”

And that was AFTER a brutal re-awakening and public calls for a shake-up.

I do not believe this is incompetence. I believe it is either a deliberate rort, where management and staff have agreed to turn up to work (if that) and collect their pay, and actually do very little; OR, this department (and probably many others) are so stacked with cringing liberals that they will simply not do the job required of them if it runs contrary to their ideology. They way these people think, criminals are “victims” who are not responsible for their actions, they have been tipped over the edge by a harsh society that refuses to share its wealth around lavishly enough; therefore it is morally right to leave those criminals in society to “punish” it; anyone bashed, raped, murdered, pillaged, or whatever, “deserved it”, same as the worst cringing liberals said about those who died in the Sept 11, 2001 attacks.

By: Leonidas

Leonidas — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 07:24:26 +0000

Nah, he’s been doing it for ages…….
…….Guess………
…….it’s……
…….just…..
…….his……
…….way….
…….of……
…….making……
……his…..
…….posts…..
…….take…..
…….up…….
…….more….
……..space….
…….and…..
…….deliver….
……..visual…..
……..impact….
……..where….
……..his……
…….rhetoric……
…….has……
…….none…….

By: slijmbal

slijmbal — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:14:31 +0000

philu – serious question do you have a sticky full stop on the keyboard or the space bar is bust or something or is yours some new style of writing I’ve not heard about?

By: greenfly

greenfly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 03:03:43 +0000

Inventory2 – don’t do it, it’ll just throw me into a crazed spin of confusion. AAAAAAaaaaahhhhhhh!

By: Inventory2

Inventory2 — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:53:55 +0000

Very good greenfly – sheesh, might even have to give you positive karma for that gem

By: greenfly

greenfly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:45:39 +0000

IV2 – ‘kettle’ being dj4, right? (Sorry Phil, I mean that in the kindest way

By: Inventory2

Inventory2 — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:39:16 +0000

Phili Ure said “what a strange little man you are..d4j..

phil(whoar.co.nz)”

Pot, meet kettle

By: Viking2

Viking2 — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:38:45 +0000

One of the former Corrections Managers was on tele the other day and made the observation that had Mathews not been there the place would be way worse off.
I saw comment yesterday that in Britian, prisons are full of people who should be in mental hospitals. That is true here also.
The problem here is that Labour also pulled separate parts of corrections in to one dept. (as only Labour ever does. ) Wrong move and its parts should be separated and operated as different identities so that each can nail down its problems.
Like all bureaucracies its unwieldy and politics will play a huge part in its failing. We are dealing with the worst of NZer’s and unfortunately environments taint the workers.
Chop it up, divide and rule. Works every time.

By: mudrunner

mudrunner — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:24:07 +0000

This problem is about failures of top leadership and management at Corrections down two levels at least, plus weak political will, (never mind the political posturing), moral (get rid of the goon squads) and financial (no budget support for the parole load), has made Corrections a hospital pass. I would not want the job and a quick check with others who would be perhaps better qualified regard it as a poisoned chalice.

I suspect the SSC has been appointing CEOs on the basis of profiles that are consensus strong, problem solving and other touchy feely legacies of the tertiary management new models. No leadership now, it’s all about management. SSC is part of the problem.

Matthews has to go but the options are rather stark. Get a new proven CEO from overseas and a combination of outsourcing and privatising the functions. This is going to take a few years to sort out. The Government has to strive for consensus so that the left doesn’t screw it up again when it gets a chance in nine years or so.

By: philu

philu — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:12:24 +0000

what a strange little man you are..d4j..

phil(whoar.co.nz)

By: dad4justice

dad4justice — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:10:53 +0000

I bet the National Women don’t shave as often as the green gals?

Get a sense of humour phool addict.

By: Patrick Starr

Patrick Starr — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 02:07:27 +0000

Greenfly – why are you so hot for Nats women? You’ve got Bradford, Delahunty and Turei – stick to your own!

you seem to have a rather unhealthy obsession with Collins

By: greenfly

greenfly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:48:02 +0000

Or this from Finlay MacDonald (Sunday Star Times)
“Nor will Judith Collins be the first minister of corrections to watch crowd-pleasing rhetoric and get-tough posturing run head on into the wall of brute reality.”
Goodt to see that not everyone is blinded by the heat and light Collins likes to generate.

By: greenfly

greenfly — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 01:30:11 +0000

and from the same article’

“Collins and National, in other words, will luxuriate for a few years in the role of blameless accuser. They will say it is all Labour’s fault, or the bureaucrats’, or the teachers’, or whoever else offers an easy target. And eventually they too will have to answer for their actions”
Now that’s perceptive (and prophetic too