Government Kennett-style Is Quite A Gag
The Age
Friday February 26, 1999
Jeff Kennett, often drawn by cartoonists with a gaping mouth, yesterday revealed his secret for strong government: don't let anyone else do the talking.
Public servants should not be able to speak in public, and ministers shouldn't make a habit of it either, the Premier said. ``I can't run the Government if I have all of my ministers out there talking to the press or everyone on a regular basis. And I can't have the public servants out there - it's not the basis on which they're employed."
The Premier was annoyed that a number of police had broken the code of silence and complained to the media about police shortages, and that his Police Minister, Mr Bill McGrath, had agreed to take radio talk-back calls on the matter.
Mr Kennett said the ALP's new policy to lift silence provisions from employment contracts of teachers, nurses and other public servants was madness. ``It just shows you how stupid the ALP is."
He said the Labor Party was in disarray because its MPs were allowed to say what they liked, when they liked. ``And you can see the sort of benefits that's brought them," he said, referring to recent sackings, leadership wrangles and frontbench reshuffles.
The Opposition Leader, Mr John Brumby, said he had heard that Mr Kennett's mantra on ministerial behavior was carved into the Cabinet table. ``His dictum to ministers is: act like a nerd, be seen but not heard, don't say a word."
Labor's has pledged to remove all regulations prohibiting public servants from public debate.
© 1999 The Age