18-Month Ministry Spent Thousands On Branding
new-zealand-labour-party
Fri Aug 10 2012 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
18-Month Ministry Spent Thousands On Branding
Friday, 10 August 2012, 11:38 am
Press Release: New Zealand Labour Party
David
Shearer
Labour Leader
10 August 2012 Media Statement
18-Month Ministry Spent Thousands On Branding
Over half a million dollars was spent on the shortest-lived ministry of recent times for a flash fit-out and branding that included 180 punnets of promotional putty.
Labour Leader David Shearer says the money spent on creating the Ministry of Science and Innovation, that lasted just 18 months, is incredibly wasteful at a time when the government is laying off frontline staff and cutting services.
“The Ministry of Science and Innovation spent $420,000 on branding and a website, including almost $70,000 on a visual identity, $27,000 on a logo, $20,000 on stationery, $16,000 on signs and $1,000 on promotional putty. All for an 18-month ministry.
“All those pens, signs, posters and putty punnets have may as well have been chucked into a rubbish skip behind Steven Joyce’s pet project MoBIE. An astonishing waste.”
Labour’s research reveals Treasury recommended in 2010 that the two agencies that formed MSI should instead be merged into the Ministry of Economic Development. National ignored the advice but months later changed its mind and announced the new Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, incorporating MSI and MED and other agencies.
David Shearer says: “The Government’s supposed public service reform is an incoherent ego trip for ministers. First Wayne Mapp wanted a stand-alone science ministry. But it was a case of new minister, new ministry as Steven Joyce came in and created his MoBIE empire.
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
“MSI now stands for Ministry of Silly Integrations. For over two years science and innovation officials have been in one merger or another. The plain fact is that mergers stall policy development and that’s why there hasn’t been an innovation policy to speak of from this government.”
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from New Zealand Labour Party on InfoPages.