2 Govt departments will become six new bodies

Press, 19 September 1986, Page 2

2 Govt departments will become six new bodies

Nelson reporter The uncertainties and fears of Forest Service and Lands and Survey personnel over their future should crystallise late next month. The chief executive of the Forestry Corporation establishment unit, Mr Andy Kirkland, said yesterday that the physical programmes, financial programmes associated with them and the numbers of people involved, were being examined and it was hoped to bring all these things together in early October.

Mr Kirkland confirmed that a board meeting would be held in the second week of October, at which time these matters would be discussed. However, it was unlikely that any announcement

would be made on structuring and staffing until after deliberations by the board, the Government, and the State Services Commission. The Forest Service is only part of the restructuring that is taking place. Out of it all, from two Government departments, six new bodies will emerge — the Forestry Corporation and the Land Development and Management Corporation (Landcorp), which are the production arms of the Forest Service and Lands and Survey Departments respectively; a Ministry of Forests; a Department of Conservation; a Department of Land and Survey Information; and a Ministry for the Environment. The complexity of all this is causing great uncertainties and fear among the permanent staff of both Government departments and in the case of the Forest Service, particularly the wage workers employed in planting and silvicultural work.

The rumours circulating in Nelson, the centre of the South Island’s largest exotic forests are extensive. Most of these were

put to rest yesterday either by Mr Kirkland; the Nelson conservator of Forests, Mr lan Black; or the secretary of the Nelson Timber Workers’ Union, Ms Rebecca Hamid.

A total of 213 permanent staff and 320 wage workers (not including contractors) are employed within the Nelson conservancy. None is absolutely certain of retaining employment after the restructuring.

Mr Black said it could not yet be determined what permanent staff would go into which jobs. The Department of Conservation and the Ministry of Forests would retain Government department status.

“However there are great uncertainties for those who will change from the Forest Service to the corporation because it has not yet been determined what new conditions of employment there will be in the corporation, how the organisations will be structured, whether they are going to be offered jobs, how many jobs, and if there will be a location change,” said Mr Black.