PSA Media Release Wednesday, 27 October
IRD take the ‘big stick’to staff members
Senior IRD management have ‘gone on the attack and harassed staff’ following the protest rally by PSA members from the
Manukau office on Wednesday.
PSA president, Kathy Higgins, said management had individually spoken to staff members who appeared in The New Zealand
Herald photo of the rally.
IRD are also angry at internal distribution of copies of the article and have asked for a written response from Ms
Higgins, a Manukau staffer and PSA convenor.
‘They want to know who copied the article. They want to who gave permission for it to be copied? They want to know who
distributed it? They want to know what the intention of the lunchtime rally was and – here’s a good one – they want to
know which managers staff are scared of,’ Ms Higgins said.
Wednesday’s rally was held in response to the parliamentary inquiry into IRD and comments made by the tax commissioner,
Graham Holland, since the report’s release.
“In response to a rally raising our concerns about management this has been their response today.
‘The relationship between management and PSA members has soured. In fact there has not been any relationship for some
time, unless we are talking about abusive relationships,’ she said.
‘Senior management in IRD must stop blaming and leaning on their staff for the incompetence in their management.
“They must be made accountable for their performance and the culture of fear and punishment which the parliamentary
inquiry detailed and which, as we see here, is very much alive and kicking,’ she said.
For further comment please call the PSA president Kathy Higgins on 021 615154
For further detail please call the PSA Media officer
Colin Williams on 04 –917 2039 or mobile 025 575839