Phil Goff：外交部裁员将损坏新西兰的国际声誉

　　原定于下周公布的政府文件提前被泄密，其中内容表明国家党政府改变原计划而将裁掉146个外交部职位，并于下个月关掉驻斯德哥尔摩的使馆。　　工党外交事务发言人菲尔高夫指出：内阁文件披露了政府对外交部裁员所做

　　原定于下周公布的政府文件提前被泄密，其中内容表明国家党政府改变原计划而将裁掉146个外交部职位，并于下个月关掉驻斯德哥尔摩的使馆。

　　工党外交事务发言人菲尔高夫指出：内阁文件披露了政府对外交部裁员所做最终决定的细节。

　　整个外交部重组的过程处理得极糟，已经严重伤害了员工的士气。我手头一封贸易谈判分部的员工来信中提到：留住员工已经成为外交部一大难题，还有很多急需解决的要事都被耽搁。员工的信心也受到沉重打击。

　　这份文件证实我国在斯德哥尔摩的大使馆下个月就要被关闭，据估计这样能省出110万纽元。之后我国在马德里和海牙的大使馆也会被关闭。文件中指出这一决定对“确保我国与欧盟包括维继贸易优惠国待遇在内达成全面协议的首要目标”会有诸多影响。

　　文件披露了146个工作岗位将被裁，最初的提议是裁员304人。裁员将影响到53个外交与政策方面的高级职位及93位相关企业服务员工。砍掉53个外交政策方面的职位将使外交部失去一些具有最丰富经验与技能的精英，部长们所得到政策建议的质量亦会因此降低。

　　据我所知由裁员而省下的经费在1200万纽元左右――只有预估节省经费2400万的一半，更是远远低于比部长早前得到简报所声称的4000万。与这次拙劣的重组外交部行动所花的钱比起来――预计今年要花920万――就太微不足道了。我们得到的消息说明年还要另外花330万经费用于更换顾问。

　　整个重组从一开始就弄得一团糟。最初的提议是错的，结果不得不重新审核。大量的时间被浪费、对员工士气也造成了巨大伤害。

　　可耻的是外交部长默瑞•麦卡利企图置身事外。他是整个重组计划的始作俑者，因为虑及公众压力过大才稍有收敛，没有按原计划行事。

　　我很担忧外交部的这些重组将最终损害我国的国际声誉、并限制纽西兰在贸易谈判中获取最大利益的能力。

　　Phil
　　GOFF
  　Foreign Affairs Spokesperson 

　　02 May 2012                                                           MEDIA STATEMENT

　　MFAT cuts will damage our international reputation 

　　Leaked documents due to go before Cabinet next week show the Government has revised its original plan and will now axe 146 foreign service jobs and close New Zealand’s embassy in Stockholm next month, says Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phil Goff.

　　The Cabinet papers detail the Government’s final decisions on the MFAT changes, which are due to be publicly announced in eight days’ time, said Phil Goff.

　　“The restructuring process has been handled abysmally. It has done enormous damage to staff morale. A letter from Trade Negotiation Division employees I have obtained says staff retention is already a problem and there are urgent priorities that are being held up. Staff confidence has also been severely undermined.

　　“The documents confirm our embassy in Stockholm will be closed next month with an estimated saving of $1.1 million. Embassies in Madrid and The Hague may also be shut down at a later date. It is noted that this decision has implications for ‘our overarching goal of securing a comprehensive agreement with the European Union containing preferential trade provisions’.

　　“The papers reveal that 146 jobs will be cut, down from the 304 originally proposed. These cuts will affect 53 predominantly senior foreign policy/diplomatic roles and 93 corporate services staff. The loss of 53 foreign policy jobs will strip the Ministry of some of its most experienced and skilled people and undermine the quality of policy advice to Ministers.

　　“I understand the savings will now be around $12 million – half of the recent estimate of $24 million savings and much lower than the $40 million set out in the briefing paper to the Minister. This is minimal compared to the cost of the botched restructuring which is expected to be $9.2 million this year. I also have further advice showing another $3.3 million will be spent on change consultants in the coming year.

　　“This entire process has been botched from the beginning. The original recommendations were wrong and have had to be revisited as a result. A huge amount of time has been wasted and there has been enormous damage done to staff morale.

　　“It is a disgrace that Murray McCully has tried to distance himself from the changes throughout this saga. He was the architect of the original plan and has only eased back because of public pressure and concern.

　　“I’m concerned these changes will damage our international reputation and restrict our ability to conduct trade negotiations in New Zealand’s best interests,” said Phil Goff.