1 00:00:00,440 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Senior political correspondence with US Now Barry, Hello, good afternoon. 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,680 Speaker 1: Hither So the government's ordered them back into the office 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: the public servants. 4 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 2: Well, it's taken some time, hasn't it really when you 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,160 Speaker 2: consider that. I guess I've always been staying away from 6 00:00:13,160 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 2: the office though, but it became it was much much 7 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:18,600 Speaker 2: worse during COVID. Yeah, and they sort of had the permission. 8 00:00:18,640 --> 00:00:22,040 Speaker 2: And it was interesting because they've never kept any records 9 00:00:22,120 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 2: in the Public Service of how many actually turn up 10 00:00:25,079 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 2: to work. That's not and how many work from home. 11 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,800 Speaker 1: Well, that's true because you can go on to you 12 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 1: can go onto the Public Service Commission website and you 13 00:00:31,960 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: can actually look at the agencies. Not all of the 14 00:00:34,479 --> 00:00:37,120 Speaker 1: agencies do it, but you can look at the agencies 15 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:38,639 Speaker 1: to see how many of them are turning up to work, 16 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: for example, ninety four percent at. 17 00:00:40,400 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 2: The well where you were working. But I tried to. 18 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: Show you later. 19 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: That's very good. Well, it seems that Nichola Willis doesn't 20 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,160 Speaker 2: know that site either, because she said that the last 21 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 2: time a survey was done was in twenty twenty one. 22 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: Regular Public Service Commissioner survey that they do right. 23 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:06,679 Speaker 2: Well, anyway, she well, I just thought i'd allow her 24 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 2: to have her say on it, because she said it 25 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 2: hard and fast. Records of those working from home aren't kept. 26 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,480 Speaker 2: But she says she's sent a survey, like I said, 27 00:01:16,520 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: out in twenty twenty one, and these are the figures 28 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: she read. 29 00:01:19,640 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 3: Around fifty eight percent of participants made use of working 30 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 3: from home arrangements, of not only sixty five percent of 31 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 3: public servants actually took place took part in that survey. 32 00:01:30,680 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 3: I've also surveyed the agencies that I work directly with. 33 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 3: The Public Service Commission, for example, advises that sixty six 34 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 3: percent of their employees have working from home arrangements, with 35 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 3: about a third working from home one day a week 36 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 3: and another third working from home two days a week, 37 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:48,560 Speaker 3: so only a third of their employees are in the 38 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 3: office five days a week. The Social Investment Agency sees 39 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 3: that on average, across a week, more than four out 40 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:56,640 Speaker 3: of five are working in the office, and Treasury says 41 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,200 Speaker 3: it does not centrally keep information that allows it to 42 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:01,720 Speaker 3: confirm any overall trends and working from home. 43 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 2: See, it was very very very really yeah, very wooly. Yes, 44 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,400 Speaker 2: it is. But the point that she makes is and 45 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 2: the point that Christopher Luxon standing alongside have made was 46 00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:17,480 Speaker 2: that working from home isn't an entitlement. It should be 47 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 2: an agreement between the employer and the employee. And I 48 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 2: don't know about you, Heather, but when I walk down 49 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,919 Speaker 2: Lampton Key and talk to businesses down there post COVID, 50 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: they really are suffering. And it's because these public servants 51 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 2: are spending far too much time at home. They can 52 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 2: see themselves doing their job from there. They are very 53 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 2: highly paid as a rule public servant, and I think 54 00:02:40,639 --> 00:02:43,760 Speaker 2: they should go where the job is, sitting at a 55 00:02:43,800 --> 00:02:47,400 Speaker 2: desk where everyone else normally has to go when. 56 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:49,720 Speaker 1: They get too right. Look, please, I'm pleased with the 57 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: kind of vibe from it, but that's all it is. 58 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:52,880 Speaker 1: And I want to see something a little bit harder 59 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:53,840 Speaker 1: on that. We'll talk to the Clorise. 60 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 2: She's going to publish results. 61 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 1: Appearently, Yeah, when she's with us. After six o'clock, just quickly, 62 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,799 Speaker 1: Sri Lanka has won the cricket by six three runs. 63 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 1: Will ow' rock is not quite as good with the 64 00:03:02,840 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: bat as he is with the ball and he's out. 65 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 1: Now what's happened with the Greens? Now that the court 66 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 1: has ruled against Darling Tana. 67 00:03:09,440 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 2: I know a number of questions have been asked about 68 00:03:11,200 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 2: that because you know, the Greens have got what they 69 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:16,840 Speaker 2: want now and they should, one would think, invoke the 70 00:03:16,880 --> 00:03:20,480 Speaker 2: waker jumping legislation. But as I understand, what they're doing 71 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 2: now is they're waiting in case Darlingana launches an appeal 72 00:03:26,600 --> 00:03:29,960 Speaker 2: against the court's finding, and that's a possibility, so that 73 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 2: I want to jump the gun. I don't know how 74 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,440 Speaker 2: the how long they're prepared to wait, but they are waiting. 75 00:03:35,240 --> 00:03:38,800 Speaker 2: The Greens. They were awarded costs. You probably know from 76 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,600 Speaker 2: the court case last week. Who's paying Darling Tana's bills. Well, 77 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,120 Speaker 2: apparently wealthy green unnamed Green Green Door. 78 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 1: Yeah sorry, a Green donor. 79 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 2: A Green donor is paying her bills. But the interesting 80 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:56,520 Speaker 2: thing is the walker jumping legislation has never really been tested. 81 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:01,200 Speaker 2: And the argument is from some that MP's actually sworn 82 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 2: into Parliament by name, they're not sworn by a party, 83 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: and you'll be aware of how they always go to 84 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 2: the front of Parliament and sworn in. So that's never 85 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:11,680 Speaker 2: really been put to the test. So if they do 86 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 2: invoke the walker jumping legislation, I'm sure there will be 87 00:04:14,880 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: some legal argument about that. As well, So this could 88 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: extend well out of the future for Darlian Tana not 89 00:04:21,640 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 2: working at Parliament but fighting for their existence to be there. 90 00:04:25,279 --> 00:04:28,479 Speaker 1: So this standoff where they're waiting the Greens, they're not 91 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: calling a meeting until they're sure she's not going to 92 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,000 Speaker 1: appeal to one for ages, because she might only appeal 93 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: once they call the meeting. 94 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:35,960 Speaker 2: Well true that, do you know what I mean? 95 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 1: Her whole thing has been to frustrate the efforts to 96 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: get rid of it, so she may wait. So this 97 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:43,320 Speaker 1: could go on for ages and also barry the fact 98 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:47,880 Speaker 1: that a wealthy Green Party donor is backing her against 99 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,520 Speaker 1: their own party. Does that not tell you that the 100 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: party is divided on this? 101 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 2: Oh, I think the party is divided. But from whom 102 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 2: I've talked to in the party, they say that they 103 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 2: are one hundred percent sure that if it's put to 104 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:04,159 Speaker 2: the party membership now they have the numbers to invoke 105 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 2: the Walker. 106 00:05:04,560 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 1: Jumping on very quickly, very very quickly. Winston Peter is 107 00:05:07,400 --> 00:05:08,080 Speaker 1: off to New York. 108 00:05:09,160 --> 00:05:11,039 Speaker 2: He's on the same page as Helen Clark, although he 109 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,160 Speaker 2: said I heard him say this morning and to you, 110 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 2: I really don't know where Helen Clark is on it. 111 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,640 Speaker 2: It's basically her big argument is the UN Security Council 112 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,919 Speaker 2: can never pass a resolution because you've got China and 113 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: Russia and the United States as permanent members on it, vetoing, 114 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 2: vetoing everything that goes out there, and it is a disgrace. 115 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:32,560 Speaker 2: I mean, the UN is a greater MorphOS body, does 116 00:05:32,600 --> 00:05:35,400 Speaker 2: some good work obviously around the world, but when it 117 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 2: comes to the big international issues like wars, they can't 118 00:05:39,279 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 2: make any decisions. 119 00:05:40,279 --> 00:05:43,159 Speaker 1: Very thanks, very much, very so, Senior political correspondent. For 120 00:05:43,279 --> 00:05:46,560 Speaker 1: more from Hither Duplessy Alan Drive, listen live to news 121 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 1: talks it'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow the 122 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,200 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.