Staff loss from Trade dept

Press, 7 February 1985, Page 22

Staff loss from Trade dept

PA Wellington Senior staff losses to the private sector are now affecting another Government department — Trade and Industry.

The drain of staff from the Treasury and computer services have been widely discussed in recent months.

Now the Secretary for Trade and Industry, Mr Harry Clark, reports that his department has lost four staff at director level in the last year. Three of the four had overseas marketing experience.

Thirty-seven staff left the department in the last year, including 27 who had been with it more than two years.

The assistant secretary (administration), Mr Irving Gair, said he had told the State Services Commission but no inquiry was under way. Better salaries are believed to be among the reasons for the resignations. Promotion prospects for directors and the strictures of head office work have had their influence, too.

Mr Clark said that five of the department’s six secretaries were at least 10 years away from new positions. Those returning from trade posts overseas — where staff ran their own ship — had to adjust to the discipline of the system back at head office, he said. Apart from losses to the private sector, the department has also lost senior staff to other Government departments.