THEY HAVE A PROBLEM

Press, 28 August 1982, Page 14

THEY HAVE A PROBLEM

By

WHIM WHAM

. . .the State Services Commission had noted an increasing trend towards actions of public servants that could be interpreted by the Government as partisan . . . included the leaking of public documents and taking of public positions against Government policies.—Mr R. Kelly, State Services Commissioner. Who is the perfect Public Servant? One who has never uttered A careless Word, who knows which Side His daily Bread is buttered — As neutered as the family Cat, No Breeder — of Dissent — He’s house-trained, he’s affectionate Towards the Government. The perfect Public Servant knows By Intuition, what Is Policy—most probably His Minister does not! Can it be Government Policy That Black is Red — or White? They tell each other, Both tell Us, Then Everybody’s right! The perfect Public Servant hears His Beehive Master’s buzz — How are the Drones INTERPRETING The Things he says and does? The. Truth divides Itself in Half, The Public Servant’s Role Is never Partisan — he knows, Which Half will pass for Whole. The perfect Public Servant squirms, His Seat may be a hot one — Can This be Government Policy? Has Government even got one?. He minds his lightest Public Word, His Life depends upon it — Those Bees can sting, especially Those In an Honourable Bonnet!