Rankin Weakens Critical WINZ Report

A draft ministerial report into the Department of Work and Income strongly criticising the Department has been replaced by a much weaker final document after consultation with WINZ boss Christine Rankin.

The draft leaked to media yesterday criticised the corporate, autocratic “we know best how to do things” style of management of the department.

Without naming Christine Rankin directly it also made 10 recommendations including several specific Ms Rankin’s position as chief executive.

But under departmental procedure, Ms Rankin and ministers were given the chance to re-write the content- leading to drastic changes to the final document.

The final report leaked yesterday evening contains none of the 10 earlier recommendations and switches an earlier reference of "authoritarianism" to "strong direction".

The rationale for the change: "because the first set of decisions needed to deal with the problems described in this review will be political ones, for ministers alone to take."

The two reports were released by former Minister of Social Services Roger Sowry last night after the first draft was leaked anonymously earlier in the day.

Mr Sowry said the initial draft was leaked by the Government who were unhappy with the watered down version of the final report and preferred the earlier harsher version.

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