Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Media commentator calls on State Services Commissioner to rein in Civil Service

Professor Malcolm Wright, head of the School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing at Massey University, has called on the State Services Commissioner to do more to protect New Zealand's democratic traditions, such as the freedom of the press.

His comments follow revelations that Parliament supplied a ministerial inquiry with the phone records of a newspaper journalist and that the Defence Force listed journalists as subversive in internal documents.

"There have been a swag of worrying issues lately, on surveillance, the rule of law, Defence Force treatment of journalists and now violation of the confidentiality of press gallery discussions, potentially revealing sources," Professor Wright says.  "It is too easy to blame the politicians. Yes they have a role, but they act on civil service advice."

He said that recent civil service actions against the press were deeply worrying.

"A free press is hard won and easily lost. But it is an essential part of who we are as New Zealanders."

Professor Wright says that the State Services Commissioner was responsible for the quality of the civil service. 

"On the whole the civil service is excellent; however, it is clear that civil servants are increasingly making the wrong choices or giving the wrong advice on relationships with the press. Civil servants can choose what policies to recommend, and they have the power to resist wrong-headed directives but they should think twice before they take decisions that weaken the free press," Professor Wright says.

"Too often there is clear need for change, but nobody responsible for achieving it. Happily, that is not the case here.  The State Services Commissioner should act now to rein in the civil service and ensure they respect the freedom and independence of the press."

ENDS

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