Child Youth and Family staff at a regional office have been told they are Social Development Minister Paula Bennett's servants who should not trouble their master with concerns about their work.
In an email dated August 13, supplied to NZPA by Labour Party deputy leader Annette King, Kaitaia CYF staff were told to show respect to the minister when she visited the next day.
"It is not appropriate for staff to pour their hearts and souls out to the minister," a manager wrote. "This is a formal visit and she is not your 'friend'. It's a bit like the relationship between a servant and a master, ie the servant knows their place. She should not be presented with the woes of the office, or lack of resources, or anything like that."
However, the email said it was okay to state there were challenges that could be managed.
whoa, upstairs downstairs flashback.
who'd be a public servant these days, eh? considered as paper pushing bureaucrats by the public, considered as a resource that can be fired without affecting the unemployment stats by governement and as serfs by their managers.
i also liked the little bit of management speak at the end. yes, we all know that there are no problems, only opportunities, or in this case challenges.
now, if it's all right with you, i'm going to have something to eat. i'll be back at my desk early tomorrow. i promise, master
I could have sworn that being a politician made you a servant of the people.
ReplyDeletesadly, no. representative democracy. we vote for our masters. the days that politicians represented the people are over. at the mt albert byelection, only one of the candidates actually lived in the electorate
ReplyDelete