KEY POINTS:
National is reversing the adage because it is so intent on draining the swamp it is ignoring the alligators at its peril. The "swamp" is the economic crisis, the "alligators" are the public servants who can so easily take a chunk out of the Government's credibility.
It's been nearly a decade since National last had to deal with the Sir Humphreys saying "Yes, Minister" then doing the opposite of what they are supposed to do. Distracted by the task of cutting budgets and the sheer novelty of their new roles, some ministers are being quietly rolled by their departments.
In a classic case study of this syndrome, the dumbest political move of the week came from Police Minister Judith Collins, who was completely snowed by Police Commissioner Howard Broad over the revelation its supposed anti-terrorism intelligence unit, the SIG, was spying on the activities of peaceful protest and community groups.
Initially John Key, sensibly, said only those who "present a real or credible risk to the safety and security of communities" should be the subject of such investigations. He then passed the issue on to Collins to sort out.
She spoke to Broad and promptly ruled out any need for an inquiry, saying Broad had assured her police were "meeting their responsibilities". Hiding behind the old "Governments can't interfere in police operations" line, Collins blithely accepted Broad's assurance they were not targeting groups but individuals who might commit criminal acts.
Wrong. Emails from their spy show the SIG was targeting the activities of entire unions, including the EPMU, the CTU, the Maritime Union, and the Unite union.
Its spy also infiltrated the Green Party and reported on the plans of Greenpeace, conservation groups, climate change organisations, animal rights groups, and anti-war protesters.
Oh yes, police also used SIG surveillance to protect its own vested interests, targeting anti-Taser protests and investigating a man who is trying to take action against the police after he was pepper-sprayed.
The SIG was set up and received funding after 9/11 to combat the threat of terrorism. None of the groups listed even remotely come near that description. The SIG seems oblivious to the fact that peace groups are, by their very nature, largely peaceful in intent and, ironically, one of its targets, Greenpeace, is the only victim of terrorism in New Zealand.
You have to watch those dangerous unions. In emails to the SIG, its spy breathlessly reports that the NDU and EPMU were having a day of action and locked-out workers would be planning pickets and making banners. Shocking criminal acts that surely imperilled the safety and security of the community.
What has happened is that, in the hysteria after 9/11, the police got a big budget to set up the SIG which then found it had no real terrorism to combat. To protect its budget and its reason for being, the SIG and police then busied themselves with trivia.
Collins has more than enough evidence to show the SIG was acting outside its brief. She should set up a ministerial inquiry, with a QC or someone like the Ombudsman, verify the facts and get serious about cutting costs by axing the unit.
The Government has to realise that public servants don't automatically act in the interests of government. They act in their own interests and need a minister strong enough to direct them on the right course.
Every department has its own strategy for protecting its butt with this new government. I am reliably informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' strategy is to deluge minister Murray McCully with a tsunami of paperwork and put him on a conveyor belt of international trips to keep him out of its hair.
Broadcasting Minister Jonathan Coleman faces a different strategy. The several fragments of public broadcasting and funding seem intent on trying to ignore him as much as possible and starve him of any information or input in the hope he will go away.
And so it goes on across the public service. Perhaps ministers are best ignored. I understand a senior TVNZ news executive and the broadcaster's government relations spin doctor decided to tour the Beehive on a "meet and greet" tour. Frankly, that is dangerous. As a state-owned broadcaster TVNZ news chiefs should avoid politicians and ministers like the plague or lay themselves open to accusations of political interference.
The move backfired apparently. After that visit at least one cost-cutting minister is now reportedly infuriated after discovering the cost of a recent world trip by TVNZ's news boss.
Unless the Government starts demanding proper accountability from its minions it will be in big trouble next year.
