Carrots and a stick

... if the public service believe or act as if nothing has changed then there certainly will need to be change." He said the Government expected "significant and long-lasting change" in the public service

At last, a long overdue stick to be applauded. Just maybe New Zealand may actually get some real government.

When you've got $10 billion to $12 billion deficits and 10 years of deficits, the biggest risk is that people will make no change, and services can disappear.

The veiled warning is at the end of that sentence. More like 'services will disappear'. And no, Johnny and Billy are sticking to their pledge, for this term. They are not doing the dirty work, the Public Service will do it to themselves.

A beautiful outcome in my book. Stand back and watch the usual suspects stab each other in the back. Oh, such fun!