Silence is golden at $48,000

Shortsighted cost cutting by the Government has forced Inland Revenue to fork out more than $48,000 on top-of-the-line noise cancelling headphones so staff can do their jobs in battery farm working conditions, Labour’s State Sector spokesperson Chris Hipkins says.

“National embarked on a plan at the beginning of the last Parliamentary term to save money on departmental office accommodation.

“This has resulted in public servants being crowded into smaller and smaller spaces. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s new headquarters has already been criticised for cramming staff in like sardines.

“At Inland Revenue’s Asteron Centre office in Wellington 292 extra desks were added to a new open plan lay out, making it impossible for staff to do their jobs in noisy, crowded working conditions.

“Purchase documents obtained by Labour under the Official Information Act show during the 2013/14 financial year Inland Revenue spent $48,106.54 on Bose Quietcomfort Noise Cancelling Headphones at a cost of between $406.96 and $549 each, excluding GST.

“One enterprising staff member even wrote to Inland Revenue management pointing out Panasonic noise reduction headphones could be bought for considerably less – $250 each.

“This level of spending on headphones to address problems caused by cost cutting is absurd. New Zealanders will be appalled,” Chris Hipkins says.

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