Ministry's ongoing incompetence

I am tired of the Ministry of Social Development. Tired of their excuses for not providing information and tired of their incompetence. I receive letters with my name on them but addressing someone else and their questions, they provide incorrect data to the media and MPs, they routinely make cock-ups at their website in respect of links. Today is no exception.

The 2006/07 Annual Report has been posted. However they have inadvertently linked to the Part One Word document that reveals material edited out of the final document. Hence we can see how they 'sanitise' their publications. Interesting statistics and statements have been carved out. In the section on CYFS for example the editor has removed this;

"Sputnik is 11 years old, but already an established car thief. He's one of nine other residents at Child, Youth and Family's Epuni Care and Protection centre locked up for their safety and the safety of others. He has Oppositional Defiance Disorder. "It means I don't listen to anything if I'm angry," he says.

Um. That won't do. Scrub it and go straight to the bit about how a lot of the time he's a smiling bubbly 11 year-old boy.

Then there is an entire section about a Work and Income whiteware pilot deleted.

"People can select their whiteware from a catalogue and obtain a quote on the spot getting immediate assistance right down to having their case manager organise delivery."

We don't really want to advertise this do we?? Delete.

While there is nothing particularly sensitive (or I wouldn't link to it) this error highlights their ongoing incompetence. And let's not forget the report is signed by a man earning nearly $500,000 a year.