Mr Armstrong is on the ball on public sector job losses, The government is positively crowing about them, full of hubris in their cutting zeal, without any expression of concern about the consequences for families and experience. So they support casualisation in the ports, or mass job loss in Air New Zealand. For these are only the little, irrelevant people - people who are dispensable, who don't matter, who can be flicked on in support of an ideology of inequality. Far better to cuddle up with business and the "right" sort of people - people who share the ideology, who have their kids in the private sector schools, who like to have Omaha baches, who understand the finer points of Antoine's cuisine, who know where in Hawaii to get the best seafood.
It will rebound on this government in time, but only after it has done immense damage to our economy and society
IDLE THOUGHTS OF AN IDLE FELLOW: The Ruminations of Robert Winter
I am happy with the cutting back of the bloated public sector and my only concern is that it should have been done in 2009/2010. The delay has cost New Zealand through the extra borrowing needed to fund it.
ReplyDeleteSince when have they been classified as people by the Nats? "People" (kiwis who vote national of course) live in Remuera, go on overseas holidays every year, have a multi-million dollar bach,own several flash cars etc etc. They are turning these kiwis into what I think Ruth Richardson called superannuitants - that is "unproductive units"!
ReplyDeletepdm-it always interests me where the perception of a "bloated public sector" comes from, or what research or data is used to determine this view. There were huge cuts to our public sector in the 80s and 90s and it is now a fraction of what it was. At one stage we were similar to scandinavian countries in public sector spending and now we have one of the lowest per capita in the OECD. All I see are examples of our public sector being decimated to the point of being nonfunctional. The mining inspectorate was cut back with tragic consequences, Maritime New Zealand barely exists and our education advisors have mostly been sacked. Scandinavian countries have the most resilient economies and yet they have the largest public sectors. The perception that our economy with thrive without a strong education and health system and proper regulatory controls just doesn't add up.
ReplyDeleteplease change "with" to will in the last sentence above.
ReplyDeleteNow we have Housing NZ cutting a public face to 'front-line' services and expecting anyone who wishes contact to do it through a Call centre - or if no phone go to the Public Library and go on line. For goodness sake how callous and mean spirited, and many of the folk making contact are already in a vulnerable situation - arrrah!
ReplyDeleteyou will find this info on Stuff http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6481036/Housing-NZ-shutting-offices
ReplyDelete