Check your facts Mr Brownlee

15 June 2005

Check your facts Mr Brownlee

The Public Service Association (PSA) is clarifying the status of a news story which appeared in the Dominion Post Recruitment pages today, following inaccurate statements by National MP Gerry Brownlee.

Mr Brownlee has claimed that the PSA has taken paid advertising to oppose National’s plans to slash the public service to pay for tax cuts. The story is not a paid advertising copy.

PSA National Secretary Brenda Pilott says Mr Brownlee should check his facts before rushing in to print.

“The PSA does not purchase advertorial, but we do unreservedly stand by our comments reported in the Dominion Post this morning. National’s plan to slash the public service would see a return to chaos that reigned by the end of the 1990s.

“Who wants to go back to a failing student allowance processing system, to election results that aren’t counted for days or to the kind of lax regulation that allowed the leaky buildings problem to develop?

“Public servants are politically neutral and we would not allow any party to undermine this fundamental principle of our democracy. The PSA is not affiliated to any political party, but as the union for public sector workers we accept the responsibility and duty to speak out when ill-considered cuts to services and jobs are being promoted on the hustings.

“PSA members have developed our own agenda of issues to strengthen public services to which we are seeking commitments from all political parties. We intend publicising their responses because New Zealanders deserve answers from the parties about where they stand on public services,” Brenda Pilott said.

Further information about the PSA Agenda for Election 2005 can be found on the Association’s website at www.psa.org.nz/election

ENDS

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