Maryan
STREET
State Services Spokesperson

23 October 2013 MEDIA STATEMENT
Something is rotten in the state of New Zealand

The government's mishandling of its basic and core functions is getting worse by the week, says Labour's State Services spokesperson, Maryan Street.

"In Education, the errors of Hekia Parata have had to be corrected by court action twice with respect to both the closure of Salisbury School and the merger of two Christchurch schools.

"In Conservation, Nick Smith has blatantly interfered with the proper work of the Department of Conservation in order to receive only the advice he wanted to hear, instead of the truth.

"In Health, an individual citizen has had to challenge the Ministry of Health in court to get the entitlements due to her for caring for her adult Down syndrome child.

"As for the Police, it has taken the legal action of one citizen to bring a charge of fraud against a Cabinet Minister, John Banks, because they were not prepared to act on their own report.

"This accumulation of interference, incompetence and ignorance on the part of government ministers demonstrates they are not exercising their responsibilities with respect to the provision of quality state services for New Zealanders.

"When individuals have to challenge government departments to get justice, there is something very wrong on the bridge of the ship of state.

“This government governs for a very few and not for the right reasons. It is time it left office,” Maryan Street said.

ENDS

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