NSW Better Service and Value!

Eleven years ago The Onion reported that a new tenth circle of hell had been opened in the nether regions. The new level was to be known as the circle of total bastards and caters for many different people including demographers and advertising executives.

That seems like a place where tom-foolery deserves perpetual punishment. In fact, it would be sweet justice for the people of NSW if they could simply send the current NSW Labor Government to this circle of total bastards. They should be joined by several of the grand pooh-bars who have scrambled to the top of bureaucracy in the public sector.

On 27 July 2009 the brave new world was announced:

NSW Government Agency Amalgamation Administrative Order (read it)

The 13 super departments with powers and abilities far beyond those of ordinary governments will improve "services to the people of NSW by ensuring a greater client focus, delivering integrated services and reducing internal red tape and barriers between agencies. Resources that are freed up by the reforms will be directed to frontline services."

Gee that is breath-taking!

But wait there's more:

"The Directors General, who have met each week as the new Directors General Executive Committee (DGEC), will continue to meet on a regular basis to drive the practical implementation of these reforms and ensure the Government's commitments are delivered. DPC [i.e. Department of Premier and Cabinet] and Treasury will be liasing directly with Departments on staffing, financial, legal and other governance issues ... The Better Service and Value Taskforce and the Cabinet Standing Committee on Service Delivery will oversight [sic] the achievement of service delivery outcomes and ensure corporate efficiencies are optimised."

Wow! I am so relieved to know that the Cabinet Standing Committee on Service Delivery will oversight -- could somebody please assist John Lee the Director General of DPC in learning some basic English grammar? Either that committee "will have oversight" or it "will oversee".

After all we would like our bureaucrats to optimise the efficiencies of the English language (assuming they are semi-literate) in making such announcements.

How reassuring to know we have 13 Super Departments. I can sleep better at night now. I wonder if the Super-Departments have come to NSW from the planet Krypton to save us!