A letter to the Editor, Public Service Managers are not Robots

It has been a few months since I've posted a blog, but in fairness I have been busy. When I say busy, I mean busier than a tattooist located next to a TAFE College. Busier than blacklisted pharmacist outside a private school toilet.  Busier than a one armed man dressed a pokie machine during Halloween. If you haven't got the picture, I've been very busy.

In 2013 I hope to make more of an effort to blog and post my contrived and witless attempts at humor.  To start off the new year, here is a copy of an email I sent to the Editor of The Courier Mail.

"Dear Editor,

On the 12th January 2013 the Courier Mail published, on the front page, an article under the headline, "Panic in the ranks as axe cuts public sector". Online, the story was labelled as an Exclusive! For your reference the article can be found here:

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/documents-reveal-how-public-service-chiefs-panicked-as-axe-fell/story-e6freon6-1226552168056

In summary, the article noted that documents obtained under Right to Information revealed the pressures and issues faced by public service managers as they responded to meeting the 20% public service job reduction targets of the Newman Government (cuts delivered some 6 months ago). Public service managers: considered a number of ways to meet the job cut targets; ways to address staff concerns directed to Ministers; and detailed impacts of the cutbacks on staff moral and health and government operations.

I write to you seeking a response to three questions, to which I felt your article did not clearly answer.

Question 1. What makes this article an EXCLUSIVE? Is this article an EXCLUSIVE because:

a) Yours was the only news organisation to make the Right to Information request? 

b) Other organisations made Right to Information requests, but the government only exclusively responded to you? 

c) Only your reporters were able to exclusively idenitfy that Queensland public servic managers are not robots but human beings able to exhibit real human emotions such as fear, apprehension, frustration and concern for the welfare of their staff?

Question 2. How did public service managers PANIC? Panic, is a perjorative term but your article quotes what appears to be measured communications from managers on the implications of staff cut and ways to minimise the impacts. Did you receive information that was not published indicating managers:

a) Made rash, cowardly or otherwise regrettable decisions? 

b) Sat under their desks, embrace the foetal position and ask for their Mummy, Nanny or state appionted carer? 

c) Did not really panic at all but undertook their jobs as professionally trained human beings and not robots, exhibiting real human emotions such as fear, apprehension, frustration and concern for the welfare of their staff?

Question 3. How is this NEWS! That is, how is this "exclusive" current,  relevant to the local community or even controversial? What is the conflict that the public need to be aware of? Can you indicate if this "exclusive" is newsworthy because:

a) That pursuant to warnings of self harm, the newly elected government prioritized meeting a set of politically spurious economic benchmarks rather than looking after the interests and welfare of the people who voted them into government?

b) It was published in your newspaper, beneath a photo of a jockey who happened to be riding in the Magic Millions racing carnival, a racing carnival that nobody really gives a shit about but is associated with the owners of Harvey Norman who regularly advertise in your paper?

c) There is a widely held view that Queensland public servic managers are robots unable to exhibit real human emotions such as fear, apprehension, frustration and concern for the welfare of their staff?

I look forward to your reply. Notwithstanding your response to my questions, my personal view is that you should have gone with the headline, "QLD Public Service Managers are not ROBOTS!"

Kind regards

Desh, the Aussiest South African Indian Comedian in the World. "