It's very hard to take any government, of any stripe, seriously. For National it is even harder. They brand themselves as the fiscally responsible and economically literate party, yet here we are, into the third year of their term and nothing has changed in relation to our bloated bureaucracy.
Until such time that the Govt takes a knife to the Wellington bureaucrats and excises the dead wood we will see little improvement in our fiscal state. Willis can say what she likes but she appears to be about as talented a violin player as Nero.
I’m no supporter of the current administration, but superannuation, plus the multiplier of increasing population - both of which are impossible to stop - will unbalance the books forever. And climate change?
Anyway, absolute financial practice went west with the gold standard. Everything is now relative, and our ratios are relatively good compared to some who we need not name. Debt that is balanced by assets is fine. So let’s build that road, railway, ferry … Debt that is spent on just keeping voters breathing is not sustainable…
As I recall, much of MSM went ballistic about the "substantial" cuts "occuring" in Wgtn post-election.
I wonder where they got thier facts from, when you advise "the core public service stands at 63,162 full-time equivalent staff. That is ...... essentially unchanged from election day."
Roger, surely this is a burden the country can't continue to bear! I presume Nicola, the PM and others would be aware of it.
Surely it must amount to a major broken election promise...
It does indeed represent a broken promise, which many of us remember well, and will hold against the government. It is an obvious ploy by Labour to provide a voting block, but they can't all be stupid.
Yes, a self-protecting bloated bureaucracy, more managers, fewer front-line staff and no sign of any serious attempt by the Coalition to cut the 16,000 odd added by the last Labour government. And now we are into election year and the Government won't want to upset people by getting to work with the urgently needed pruning shears, even a chainsaw. We desperately need to restore efficiency in the public sector. It's not just Wellington of course - universities nationwide are a good example, where the ratio of administrative to frontline academic staff is at a world leading 1.5:1. Government ministers obviously cannot deal with all of this and it requires senior managers to get a grip and sort this out. John R
Thank you Roger. Is it not time to acknowledge that we are a small agricultural country, limited in the main to the export of food, not a highly valued commodity! Without a solid manufacturing base, mined resources or significant scientific expertise, our only option is to manage with as small a government as possible, a govt matching it's cost to whatever tax can be levied on our expected income.
If we got this right, we might more clearly be able to claim that we really do punch above our weight
Since Labour/Green/TPM would be even worse, the only rational way to vote in November is for the less woke constituency candidate, that is, usually the National one, unless you are in Luxon's or Willis' constituency, in which give it to the candidate most likely to beat them, and to give your party vote to ACT.
Excellent Roger. And most certainly on point. Any thoughts on just what all these extra employees were actually employed to do? I suspect many people were employed to fill positions that can only be described as 'woke'. In other words, roles we most certainly do not need. e.g. We certainly don't need people employed in all the various 'cultural' roles, but there are plenty of them leading karakia in the public sector (there goes productivity for the rest of the team too...). Where or how would you start with the knife?
Nonsense like the oxymoronic Regulation ministry has not helped, it must be said. You are correct to point out the institutional resistance, though I don’t buy the idea that ministers are somehow powerless against it. They need to be more determined, and less worried about plum roles post politics.
I begged Willis and Luxon to change their approach from a stupid "save 6%" forced on every element of central government bureaucracy (that punishes efficient departments but condones spendthrift departments) to a requirement to restore 2017 FTEs. IMMEDIATELY. But they ignored me despite my sharing the suggestion among many ministers.
Luxon and his ministers seem to be willfully heading for a defeat.
According to the Greens, Wellington is in a doom loop because of austerity and cuts to government spending! Not sure how spending far more than you earn can be austerity. I guess a massive wealth tax will be their answer!
It's very hard to take any government, of any stripe, seriously. For National it is even harder. They brand themselves as the fiscally responsible and economically literate party, yet here we are, into the third year of their term and nothing has changed in relation to our bloated bureaucracy.
Until such time that the Govt takes a knife to the Wellington bureaucrats and excises the dead wood we will see little improvement in our fiscal state. Willis can say what she likes but she appears to be about as talented a violin player as Nero.
I’m no supporter of the current administration, but superannuation, plus the multiplier of increasing population - both of which are impossible to stop - will unbalance the books forever. And climate change?
Anyway, absolute financial practice went west with the gold standard. Everything is now relative, and our ratios are relatively good compared to some who we need not name. Debt that is balanced by assets is fine. So let’s build that road, railway, ferry … Debt that is spent on just keeping voters breathing is not sustainable…
As I recall, much of MSM went ballistic about the "substantial" cuts "occuring" in Wgtn post-election.
I wonder where they got thier facts from, when you advise "the core public service stands at 63,162 full-time equivalent staff. That is ...... essentially unchanged from election day."
Roger, surely this is a burden the country can't continue to bear! I presume Nicola, the PM and others would be aware of it.
Surely it must amount to a major broken election promise...
It does indeed represent a broken promise, which many of us remember well, and will hold against the government. It is an obvious ploy by Labour to provide a voting block, but they can't all be stupid.
Yes, a self-protecting bloated bureaucracy, more managers, fewer front-line staff and no sign of any serious attempt by the Coalition to cut the 16,000 odd added by the last Labour government. And now we are into election year and the Government won't want to upset people by getting to work with the urgently needed pruning shears, even a chainsaw. We desperately need to restore efficiency in the public sector. It's not just Wellington of course - universities nationwide are a good example, where the ratio of administrative to frontline academic staff is at a world leading 1.5:1. Government ministers obviously cannot deal with all of this and it requires senior managers to get a grip and sort this out. John R
Thank you Roger. Is it not time to acknowledge that we are a small agricultural country, limited in the main to the export of food, not a highly valued commodity! Without a solid manufacturing base, mined resources or significant scientific expertise, our only option is to manage with as small a government as possible, a govt matching it's cost to whatever tax can be levied on our expected income.
If we got this right, we might more clearly be able to claim that we really do punch above our weight
Where do you get the 25-30% overheads figure from? In my experience it’s higher
Since Labour/Green/TPM would be even worse, the only rational way to vote in November is for the less woke constituency candidate, that is, usually the National one, unless you are in Luxon's or Willis' constituency, in which give it to the candidate most likely to beat them, and to give your party vote to ACT.
Excellent Roger. And most certainly on point. Any thoughts on just what all these extra employees were actually employed to do? I suspect many people were employed to fill positions that can only be described as 'woke'. In other words, roles we most certainly do not need. e.g. We certainly don't need people employed in all the various 'cultural' roles, but there are plenty of them leading karakia in the public sector (there goes productivity for the rest of the team too...). Where or how would you start with the knife?
Nonsense like the oxymoronic Regulation ministry has not helped, it must be said. You are correct to point out the institutional resistance, though I don’t buy the idea that ministers are somehow powerless against it. They need to be more determined, and less worried about plum roles post politics.
If you really really need the contractor and you aren’t allowed them anymore, you get them on staff. Simple.
Let’s keep in mind, money is the way we measure progress. It’s not the goal.
I’m reading the Robert Caro biography of LBJ. Very educational. The playbook of the top 1% stays the same.
Bravo Roger
I begged Willis and Luxon to change their approach from a stupid "save 6%" forced on every element of central government bureaucracy (that punishes efficient departments but condones spendthrift departments) to a requirement to restore 2017 FTEs. IMMEDIATELY. But they ignored me despite my sharing the suggestion among many ministers.
Luxon and his ministers seem to be willfully heading for a defeat.
According to the Greens, Wellington is in a doom loop because of austerity and cuts to government spending! Not sure how spending far more than you earn can be austerity. I guess a massive wealth tax will be their answer!