Blacklist ‘vindictive’

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 7

Blacklist ‘vindictive’

PA Wellington A State Services Commission blacklist of some former Auckland Harbour Bridge employees was condemned yesterday by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Lange, as “extraordinarily vindictive.” Social Credit’s Deputy Leader, Mr Knapp, said the blacklist was petty and mean-spirited. The blacklist contains the names of seven salaried and 32 wages staff who accepted redundancy payments. It orders the heads of all Government departments not to offer Public Service jobs to anyone on the list without the approval of the commission.

Mr Lange said at a postcaucus press conference that the blacklist was Absolutely characteristic or this

administration, the lust for revenge, the determination not to let a legitimate decision have a valid effect.” (A former High Court judge, Mr Peter Mahon, in his capacity as an industrial arbitrator, had ruled that the staff were entitled to redundancy payments.) Mr Lange said the issue raised the question of the judgment of the officials who drew up the list. It seemed that some people in positions of public responsibility thought they were no good unless they “hacked back” at people when they suffered some reverse in a legal forum, Mr Lange said. “They know they have done wrong. They tried to keep it quiet” Mr Knapp said thatsjttie Government “had its nose

tweaked” by Mr Mahon and was carrying out the action to get some sort of revenge. “I personally support the right of these workers to seek employment both inside and outside the Public Service, just as any other redundant workers can,” he said. “I must condemn in the strongest possible terms this despicable act of petty vengefulness. It epitomises the style of leadership provided by the Prime Minister.” The Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, when asked yesterday about the blacklist, said he had not looked into the matter. “I really don’t know what that is about. I have no knowledge of it whatever,” he told a post-caucus press conference. “Try the State

Services Commission. Ask them what it is all about. “I have not looked at it and indeed I have no special urge at the moment to look at it.” Mr W. Marley, the former chairman of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Authority, which was dissolved on March 31, said bridge staff had been told only a few days before that they had to decide whether to take offered State jobs or face a restriction on work throughout the Public Service. Mr Marley said this was unclear until he had sought clarification from the commission. “I can understand perhaps their not wanting to employ them on the bridge, but it is unreasonable that it has spread to all the Public Service.”