State Services Minister Trevor Mallard and Associate State Services Minister Margaret Wilson announced today that the preparation and introduction of the Crown Entities Bill has been deferred.

The Ministers said the Government wanted to first consider ways to improve State sector performance and responses to the State Sector Standards Board report.

Cabinet will be considering a report on improving performance, by the Minister of State Services, later this year.

“After the Commission has reported back, the Government will consider the need for legislation,” the Ministers said.

“There are a number of policies that this Government has approved relating to all Crown entities that organisations will comply with, regardless of legislation. This includes the disclosure of remuneration over $100,000 in annual reports and consulting the State Services Commissioner on chief executive contracts and board fees.

“It means the situation regarding Crown entities is much clearer than it was two years ago.”

Ms Wilson will be writing to Crown entities about the deferral of the Bill, including an assurance that entities will be consulted on any steps that Government may take on policy or legislation in the future.

Ends

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>