P.s.a. Making A ‘political Issue’ (Press, 13 November 1978)
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Summary: P.s.a. Making A ‘political Issue’ (Press, 13 November 1978)
On 13 November 1978, the New Zealand Minister of Social Welfare, Mr Walker, defended his stance regarding the allegations made by the Public Service Association concerning the intimidation of two public servants. Mr Walker questioned the timing of these allegations, pointing out that the association had waited two years to raise the issue, doing so only two weeks before a General Election. The context of the dispute involved a statement from one of the public servants, Mr M.S. Waghorne, who challenged Mr Walker's assertions and demanded clarification on various points. Mr Waghorne accused Mr Walker of consistently altering the facts in his responses. He expressed confusion over Mr Walker's claim that it was a normal procedure for letters from private citizens to be directed to relevant ministers, questioning why Mr Walker was the sole minister consulted in the matter. Furthermore, Mr Waghorne questioned why Mr Walker took over two weeks to forward a crucial letter to Mr Gill and only did so after receiving a follow-up letter from him. In response, Mr Walker insisted that Mr Waghorne could expect a personal reply if he framed his communications with common courtesy, citing a previous interaction from August 1977 as an example. Mr Walker reiterated his inquiry regarding the lengthy delay in the association's response to the letter. Additionally, Mr Waghorne clarified that his letter was focused on social research rather than the topic of abortion, which he claimed was irrelevant to the questions directed at Mr Walker. He stressed that his professional background as a sociologist underscored the validity of his concerns, asserting that he was not merely a layperson communicating haphazardly. The exchange illustrates the tensions between public servants and government ministers ahead of the elections, reflecting the political climate of the time.
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