Big State service reshuffle

Press, 4 December 1985, Page 35

Big State service reshuffle

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington Work has begun on the biggest reshuffle of staff and departments of the Public Service since its inception. The Minister of State Services, Mr Rodger, said about a third of Government departments and their permanent staff would be affected in some way by the changes.

Co-ordination of these changes is being implemented by the State Services Commission. The changes will bring a new Ministry for the Environment, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment, Department of Conservation, Land Development and Management Corporation, Forestry Corporation, and Department of Survey and Land Information. The broad responsibilities and policies of these new Government agencies have now been set out in a 10-

page position paper, but some aspects of the restructuring have still to be decided. The Department of Conservation will be the agency required to preserve, protect, restore and enhance, and will be given an advocacy role to do this. The Ministry for the Environment and Parliamentary Commissioner will have roles as umpires on land use, whether for development or conservation. Details of the Land Development and Management Corporation have not yet

been finalised. The Forestry Corporation will be required to run as a successful business enterprise responsible for State owned forests. The Department of Survey and Land Information will take over the functions of land measurement and mapping. Mr Rodger said the Government had two intentions while making these changes—that service to the public should not suffer during the transition, and that staff were not harmed by the changes.