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Bernard Hickey fortnight

  • July 12th, 2008

To understand why informed business is gagging for the end of this government, you could do no better than review Bernard Hickey’s last fortnight.

Start on 27 June with a report from an appalled consultant on Government agency inefficiency.

Move to 30 June with Bernard’s comment on the Auditor-general’s despair at defence procurement systems.

On 2 July a piece on SPARC, essentially backgrounding National’s sports policy (announced on 30 June). The title says it – "I’d jump for joy too if I was paid $100k to give away money". I do not accept that a high proportion of people with high salaries is prima facie wrong. In my experience it is often better to hire a few expensive expereinced genuine experts than floors full of wannabes. But he’s right to be asking for explanation. 

On 2 July "the kafkaeque madness of Tiaho School", on the frustrations of dealing with the country’s worst led bureacracy.

10 July came back to SPARC with "The money pit that is the Mission-On website".

If he had blogged on the ANZ economists’ report on the low quality of government’s "investment" in growth he’d have the whole fortnight’s catalogue.

Labour have blown the opportunities presented by  the best terms of trade of my working lifetime on hiring people to stop the rest of us from exercising initiative.

Comments

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Stephen

Many thanks. The ANZ report was very interesting. I blogged on it at my other blog (www.interest.co.nz) and took it a bit further by looking at the Quarterly Employment Survey on public service (core bureaucracy) salaries. Here it is
http://www.interest.co.nz/ratesblog/index.php/2008/07/10/bureaucrats-wages-rising-faster-than-for-the-rest-of-us/

cheers
Bernard

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