GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS everywhere deal “sensitively” with vital information that they think might embarrass them, their departments or their political leaders.
You could call it loyalty or self protection, but in many cases the ultimate consequence is a spiral of silence that blocks scrutiny — and deprives us of good governance.
It becomes even more extensive when senior government officials are the contact points for major industry groups that affect and influence the day to day and long term execution of their primary role.
It produces an environment in which scrutiny and accountability are deminished, sometimes extinguished.
Take for example the well-meaning Mr Kim Evans, the Secretary of the Department for Primary Industries, Water and the Environment …
Imagine if he was presented with a serious problem of toxicity in Tasmania’s waterways, who would he turn to for advice?
Well he could first of all start with the Agricultural, Silvicultural and Veterinary Chemicals Council and talk to the Chair about the issue. But he would be talking to himself, he is the Chair.
Okay, he may then try the Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research who would have a good understanding of these issues, again he could contact the Chair. But again he is the Chair.
Alright then, how about the Natural Resource Management Board. Nope he’s the Chair of that too.
What if say, Mr Kim Evans, Head of DPIWE, felt that chemical issues could have some connection with the Devil Disease as Dr Marcus Scammell and others have intimated, he would be safe in consulting the Devil Disease Research Group.
Or would he?
Yet again, that’s right, Kim Evans is the Chair.
Safe to say he could consult with the forest industry, to determine the amount and levels of chemicals being used when and where. The Forest Practices Board would be a good starting point and a good ending point. Again he would be talking to himself.
One may start to think this man may be developing a serious case of multiple personality disorders, as his role with the Forest Practises Board is the Chair.
Not to complicate the matter too much he is also a Board member of TAFI (Tasmanian Aquaculture and Fisheries Institute), of Brand Tasmania and of the Environmental Management and Control Board.
I suspect if we look at a number of senior public servants and business people in the Tasmanian community we would find similar occurrences.
But in the case of Mr Kim Evans it’s too reminiscent of a certain tea party.
Paul Lime failed his first year political science degree at the University of Tasmania but has since gone on to gain years of experience in politics. He worked as a lobbyist and communications specialist in the realm of the Keating Government and has worked in major European cities for political organisations of all colours over the last decade. He has recently returned to Tasmania to find that the leaders of this beautiful island, who are well known for not being able to solve their own problems, have a certain disrespect in their stewardship of this island and her peoples.
