Post by Dave Homewood on Jul 10, 2007 20:39:24 GMT 12
This is a party political statement from National so may be propaganda, but if it's true it's not good.
Veterans’ Affairs in disarray
Saturday, 23 June 2007, 2:39 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party
Judith Collins MP
National Party Veterans Affairs Spokeswoman
A draft report prepared for the New Zealand Defence Force shows that Veterans' Affairs (VANZ) has lost the confidence of its major stakeholders, says National’s Veteran Affairs spokeswoman, Judith Collins.
It comes after VANZ admitted to a select committee that it didn't know how many veterans live in New Zealand, and that it still hadn’t implemented recommendations following a 2004 inquiry into Agent Orange.
“Minister Rick Barker has showed that after two years in the job, he doesn’t have the faintest idea of what’s happening in his portfolio,” says Ms Collins.
“The review conducted by Martin Jenkins & Associates Limited considers the future of VANZ and whether it should be merged into either the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) or into the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
“Of particular concern is the conclusion that VANZ has significant relationship difficulties with its major stakeholders.”
The report states:
• ‘There is a lack of trust between VANZ on the one hand and the RNZRSA (HQ) and EVSA [Ex-Vietnam Services Association] on the other’.
•
•
•
• ‘[RSA representatives] state that consultation on key issues affecting veterans is negligible and that suggestions proffered by them tend to be treated dismissively.’
•
•
•
• At an operational level, the relationship [between MSD and VANZ] is strained….The Director VANZ has explicitly directed MSD to avoid engaging with veterans' groups…. This creates significant problems for MSD because of the overlap between the veteran population and the wider beneficiary pool’
•
•
•
Of the relationship with NZDF, the report says,
• "Because there is no performance agreement, VANZ does not report throughout the year on its activities. Efforts to increase the monitoring of VANZ and improve its systems have been met with "defensiveness" by its staff.’
•
•
•
“VANZ needs to be brought under control,” says Ms Collins.
“It cannot effectively advocate or administer on behalf of veterans if it is fighting with key veterans' groups, the Ministry of Social Development and the Defence Force.
“It's time to put veterans first and stop protecting a department and its Minister who have for so long been in denial mode.”
Ends
Veterans’ Affairs in disarray
Saturday, 23 June 2007, 2:39 pm
Press Release: New Zealand National Party
Judith Collins MP
National Party Veterans Affairs Spokeswoman
A draft report prepared for the New Zealand Defence Force shows that Veterans' Affairs (VANZ) has lost the confidence of its major stakeholders, says National’s Veteran Affairs spokeswoman, Judith Collins.
It comes after VANZ admitted to a select committee that it didn't know how many veterans live in New Zealand, and that it still hadn’t implemented recommendations following a 2004 inquiry into Agent Orange.
“Minister Rick Barker has showed that after two years in the job, he doesn’t have the faintest idea of what’s happening in his portfolio,” says Ms Collins.
“The review conducted by Martin Jenkins & Associates Limited considers the future of VANZ and whether it should be merged into either the NZ Defence Force (NZDF) or into the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
“Of particular concern is the conclusion that VANZ has significant relationship difficulties with its major stakeholders.”
The report states:
• ‘There is a lack of trust between VANZ on the one hand and the RNZRSA (HQ) and EVSA [Ex-Vietnam Services Association] on the other’.
•
•
•
• ‘[RSA representatives] state that consultation on key issues affecting veterans is negligible and that suggestions proffered by them tend to be treated dismissively.’
•
•
•
• At an operational level, the relationship [between MSD and VANZ] is strained….The Director VANZ has explicitly directed MSD to avoid engaging with veterans' groups…. This creates significant problems for MSD because of the overlap between the veteran population and the wider beneficiary pool’
•
•
•
Of the relationship with NZDF, the report says,
• "Because there is no performance agreement, VANZ does not report throughout the year on its activities. Efforts to increase the monitoring of VANZ and improve its systems have been met with "defensiveness" by its staff.’
•
•
•
“VANZ needs to be brought under control,” says Ms Collins.
“It cannot effectively advocate or administer on behalf of veterans if it is fighting with key veterans' groups, the Ministry of Social Development and the Defence Force.
“It's time to put veterans first and stop protecting a department and its Minister who have for so long been in denial mode.”
Ends
