Politicians and pundits on "waste"

I'm not saying there isn't waste in Government. I have seen it first hand, but it isn't always what you think. In my opinion, the BIGGEST cause of waste I know of in the public service is the damage done to moral and motivation of public servants by cynical, ignorant politicians referring to them as "bureaucrats" as though they were dung on your shoes. The presumption the jobs they do are a waste, worse than useless, no matter what job they do or how well they do it or how hard they work, is hugely damaging.

Every time National, in particular, talks about public servants this way, they underscore for me and no doubt for many public servants and their families what horrendous people management skills National has, as a party and as a would-be employer if in government.

Would you want to work for people who talked like that about you?

If they were my boss and talked about me like that, I'd tell them to shove it where the Sun doesn't shine. I have respect for myself and the work I do even if they don't. But I don't respect them when they abuse and denigrate hard working people who, by virtue of their jobs, aren't allowed to talk back.

Its hard enough to hire and retain good people to work in the public service as it is due to lower pay and stingy working conditions. Trash-talking public servants and treating them like rubbish only makes it harder.

National, like ACT, too often come across as a bunch of bullies kicking people - public servants - who aren't allowed to fight back.

I'm actually politically fair-minded, but National make so many errors of judgment out of arrogance and simple party hackery (IMHO) that I find myself persistently and consistently targeting them for what I feel is justified criticism. This is just one more example.