All-night Sitting On State Services Bill Likely (Press, 13 December 1962)

On 12 December 1962, the New Zealand Parliament was set to debate the State Services Bill through the night, following five days of intense discussions led by the Opposition. The urgency for both the State Services Bill and the Government Railways Amendment Bill was requested earlier in the day, reflecting the contentious nature of the measures being discussed. By late evening, more than half of the clauses in the State Services Bill had been passed, most with little to no opposition. One significant point of discussion was Clause 17, which proposed the establishment of a committee to advise on salary matters within the Public Service. Opposition member Mr A. H. Nordmeyer noted the difficulties previously encountered in addressing salary issues. Minister of Labour Mr Shand highlighted the challenges of setting fair salaries for higher earners and stressed the necessity of ensuring adequate remuneration to retain experienced public servants. Another area of contention arose around the appointment of outsiders to the Public Service. Mr Nordmeyer suggested changing the wording in the bill to indicate that outsiders should have 'substantially' more merit for positions than internal candidates. Meanwhile, the process for filling certain high-level positions sparked debate, with Mr Nordmeyer expressing concerns over diminished rights to appeal appointments, suggesting that a new committee structure would favour the existing commission due to its voting powers. Despite attempts to amend the provisions around appeals in appointment decisions, the proposed changes were lost in parliamentary votes. Furthermore, the bill included clauses on staff transfers related to national security, which faced scrutiny from Opposition members. Mr M. A. Connelly raised issues regarding the broad powers given to the security review authority, which did not allow for appeal on its decisions. Mr Shand defended the necessity of these measures, explaining that they would not be punitive but rather preventive, aimed at protecting the state's integrity. He attempted to reassure members by stating that the commission would ensure that any staff transferred due to security concerns would not suffer pay or seniority loss. However, Mr Nordmeyer countered that such measures could damage the reputation and standing of the affected individuals, leading to public disrepute based on potentially unfounded claims. During the discussion, the Prime Minister, Mr Holyoake, spoke against the idea that political motivations would influence the commission's decisions. The debate continued into the evening, with the remaining clauses of the bill being passed with minimal discussion. At 10.48 p.m., discussions shifted to the controversial Clause 42, which dealt with survey and ruling rates for salaries, ensuring that this aspect would require further deliberation. Overall, the heated exchanges underscored deep divides in Parliament over the legislation's implications for public service management, salary determination, and individual rights within the public sector.

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