外交部长马卡利应有勇气对外交部裁员承担责任

　　国家党试图以“他不是事无巨细都要管的领导”的说辞，替默雷•马卡利（Murray McCully）挡掉人们对他的外交部裁员计划的非议。这般辩解实在太可笑了，因为从一开始就是外交部长在全力推动、并始终在负责这个

　　工党外交事务发言人菲尔•高夫还指出，如此逃避简直太没胆子了。默雷•马卡利向来是因为凡事都要管而闻名。无怪乎国家党议员克里斯•芬雷森日前在国会里做上述辩解时甚至自己都憋不住地乐。

　　外交部改革计划是默雷马卡利一手炮制的，他应当负全责。如果他不想裁员继续下去，就应当出手喊停，而不是试图把责任赖到别人身上。

　　外交部提出的一系列变革性质是非常严重的。它们将损害我国的国际贸易关系。已经有证据显示外交部计划将对相关领域产生不可小视的潜在影响――据悉Fonterra(恒天然)公司、乳品企业协会、肉制品产业协会均就此纷纷对外交部表达了深深的担忧。引发行业如此震动的情形是新西兰历史上是前所未有的，政府应当郑重对待。

　　我们已经失去了两个顶尖的贸易谈判专家。如果外交部继续裁员，我们将失去更多人才――其中一些是我们整个外交领域的精英。

　　几十名我国大使和高级专员业已飞回国参加紧急会议并向外交部表达他们的反对意见。

　　而外交部长除了对高级专员与特使会议的花费一味狡辩之外什么也没做。3月21日，他告诉国会说花费是20万纽元。4月3日，代表外交部长做发言的克里斯•芬雷森却声称这个数字是15万4千纽元。

　　实际情况是，今年外交部总共要花掉的920万纽元中并没有算进开上述会议的费用，也没有将可能会相当高的裁员费用计算在内。

　　如今不但他自己的外交部、甚至外交部之外，他的领导能力都正在遭遇信任危机—这才是默雷•马卡利需要最为担忧的。

　　Phil GOFF

　　Foreign Affairs Spokesperson                      

　　
　　03 April 2012                                            MEDIA STATEMENT

　　McCully should have the guts to take responsibility for MFAT cuts

　　National’s attempt to shield Murray McCully from the fallout over his plan to cut the foreign service by claiming he ‘isn’t a micro-manager’ are laughable given he’s been driving the changes from the beginning and is constitutionally responsible for them, says Labour’s Foreign Affairs spokesperson Phil Goff.

　　“It’s just gutless. Murray McCully has always had a reputation for micro-managing. Chris Finlayson couldn’t even keep a straight face when he was claiming otherwise in the House today.

　　“Murray McCully is the architect of the plan for reform in his Ministry and he is ultimately responsible for it. If he doesn’t want the cuts to go ahead, he should just step in and stop them instead of trying to lay the blame on others.

　　“The proposed changes are very serious. They will damage our international trade relationships. We’ve seen evidence of the potential impact in that area with revelations that Fonterra, the Dairy Companies Association and the Meat Industry Association have all expressed their deep concern to the Ministry. This is an unprecedented move and should be taken seriously.

　　“We’ve already lost two of our top trade negotiators. If the proposed changes go ahead, we’ll lose more and some of our best people from across MFAT.

　　“Dozens of our ambassadors and heads of mission have flown home for a crisis meeting and to express their opposition to the plan.

　　“All the Minister can do is quibble about how much the Heads of Mission meeting has cost. On March 21, he told Parliament it was $200,000. Today, Chris Finlayson (speaking on his behalf) claimed it was $154,000.

　　“Actually the total cost for this year - $9.2 million - doesn’t include the meeting and it doesn’t include likely high redundancy costs.

　　“What matters and should worry Murray McCully most is that there is now a crisis of confidence in his leadership within his own Ministry and beyond,” said Phil Goff.