Treasury must respond to Crampton criticisms

31 JULY 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Treasury cannot continue to ignore the growing chorus of concern about its declining standards and policy of hiring analysts without economic qualifications if its current leaders have any regard to retaining the institution’s proud reputation and history for quality economic advice, says the Taxpayers’ Union.

Taxpayers’ Union Executive Director Jordan Williams says, “For some years now, senior economists and officials around Wellington have quietly expressed concern about the declining quality of Treasury’s advice to suit the politics of the Government of the day. Eric Crampton’s piece is yet another blinking light indicating that our once-world-leading Treasury is becoming mediocre.”

“The Treasury is arguably the most important institution for protecting taxpayers. If the Ministry of Health started ‘blind hiring’ for medical roles, for the sake of ‘diversity’ in our hospitals, they would rightly be laughed at. Similarly Treasury leadership is failing in their duties if they continue to claim they can offer world class economic advice by pursuing a policy of not hiring economists.”

“It says it all that the best and brightest young economists no longer want to work at the New Zealand Treasury. Mr Crampton’s criticisms require a response from the Secretary.”

ENDS

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