Public Service Neutrality

Grant Robertson has blogged his concern about the Department of Labour advising staff they should not take part in a pay equity rally.

He has noted:

In recent election campaigns  I have noticed that public servants seemed to be getting inconsistent and inaccurate advice about how involved they can be in campaigns, including whether they could have hoardings on fences, deliver pamphlets or even be seen with a candidate.

I believe that the rights of public servants to participate in the political process as private citizens need to be protected, and if necessary clarified.  Of course their should be guidance as to how to ensure they can continue to serve the government of the day and avoid compromising their ability to provide quality advice and support, but the interpretation of that guidance should respect the professionalism of public servants and give them their hard won democratic rights.

So presumably he deplores as abhorent the sacking of Madeline Setchell from the Ministry for the Environment, because of her boyfriend’s job?

I mean Grant blogs about how he was able to work for MFAT and be a Labour Party campaign manager. Yet Madeline, who has never been politically active herself, got her career destroyed by Labour because of her boyfriend swapping jobs from journalist to working for John Key.

Hopefully Grant was also appalled by Erin Leigh’s treatment by Labour. Another public servant crucified.

And also I hope Grant was appalled that Setchell was also blacklisted from MAF, after they chekecd with Jim Anderton.

Really having Labour go on about public sector neutrality is like Charlie Sheen go on about monogamy.