Public Service Politicisation
May 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 am by David FarrarThe Herald Political Diary notes:
Treasury announces that Mike Munro – former press secretary to Helen Clark – will be its communications manager. It’s not quite the same as working for Finance Minister Bill English but Munro’s talents in public relations and the importance of Treasury in the global recession can only help the Government. And even if anyone in Government did have misgivings, they could hardly express them after the fuss made in Opposition about political interference by ministers in the Environment Ministry posts.
Far from anyone in Government being upset, I would say everyone thinks it is a brilliant appointment. Munro is genuinely liked by all sides, and recognised for his talent.
Talking of politics and the public sector, NBR has further info on the “secret” purchase advisors that Labour are claiming are political appointees. They are:
The advisers include two former Treasury secretaries, Murray Horn and Graham Scott, and former deputy state services commissioner Ross Tanner.
Sounds like the sort of people I would want advising me on multi billion purchase agreements. Again, I call for more of them!
Back to the diary, I was amused at this:
Lewis Holden is announced as the new chief executive of the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. It is a familiar name to journalists who receive regular press releases from the Republican Movement. Fortunately for relations between the Government and the public service, Lewis David Holden the chief executive is not the same as Lewis Joseph Holden the agitator and they are not related. Holden the CEO is deputy secretary of the economic strategy branch at the Ministry of Economic Development. Coincidentally, Holden the younger got a part-time job at the MED when he was student and found out about his namesake when he found out his email address was already taken.
I think everyone in the Republican Movement should start calling Lewis, “Holden the Younger”. Reminds me of Pitt the Younger.
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May 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
“I think everyone in the Republican Movement should start calling Lewis, “Holden the Younger”. Reminds me of Pitt the Younger.”
What both of you?
Vote:May 2nd, 2009 at 10:44 am
What the damn hell does the Treasury need a “Communications Manager” for??
A bogus position and a bogus appointment.
There are far too many of these parasitical “Communications” types who are in essence only proteges of Goebbels.
Fire the damn lot of them right now and give me my damn taxes back.
BTW, these “purchase advisors” seem to be an indication that dept leaders cannot be trusted. If so, then what the hell are they doing in such positions??
If managers/ dept heads cannot be trusted, they should be fired forthwith.
Vote:May 2nd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Graham Scott, Murray Horne and Ross Tanner are 3 very competant and experienced operators who know the public service very very well – especially at the Head Office level where most of the fat has been allowed to accumulate. Their input will be extremely valuable to Ministers, your suggestion of 20x their fees in savings I think is way too low. I am sure you are perhaps one or two orders of magnitude out.
Vote: