John Whitehead

Wellington, Jan 29 NZPA - Treasury Secretary John Whitehead rejects the suggestion that he employs a bunch of bookish, chin-stroking, policy eggheads who spend their time sitting around dreaming up economic miseries.

"I'm sure some of you have heard that view expressed in somewhat more profane terms. But it is a view rooted in myth and not fact," he told the Rotary Club of North Wellington.

The Treasury family was a diverse and well rounded lot.

Treasury had recently employed a former Presbyterian minister and someone who featured on television talking about a nudist camp they had set up.

"We boast several staff who are active in the arts: among them are professionally trained opera singers, actors and even a vintage Burlesque dance teacher."

He also noted sporting successes of employees.

Dr Whitehead said some people believed Treasury told the Government what to do, while others believed it had no influence at all.

He said Treasury did not tell the Government what to do. "We are the lead adviser on economic and financial issues, and I am pleased to say that most of that advice is heeded, and some is rejected. That is how it should be."

Another myth was that Treasury was a mix of dull, grey men who don't see enough sunlight and fresh-faced pointy-headed graduates who had never set foot in the real world.

"Some would also have you believe that the only women at Treasury are there to push the tea trolleys."

These views were lamentable.

"Treasury might have been a male-dominated stronghold once, and many of them might have been greyheads, but that age has well and truly passed."

Women made up 52 percent of the workforce at Treasury and not one of them is employed as a tea trolley-pusher.

"You will find them in significant positions right across the organisation - from managers and team leaders, to advisers and analysts."

Former employees include just-resigned managing director of the World Bank Graeme Wheeler, executive director of the New Zealand Business Roundtable Roger Kerr, investment banker Rob Cameron, Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Bill English and Stephen Jennings, the founder of Renaissance Capital in Moscow.

Dr Whitehead gave a potted summary of Treasury's operational work.

His speech about the modern face of Treasury came at a time that Labour leader Phil Goff called for a cap on salaries of public service chief executives.

Dr Whitehead said Treasury's role was evolving in these challenging times, and one of its new roles was leadership of a range of work to improve the performance of the state sector.

Public sector agencies needed to ask if what they were doing made a real and positive difference for New Zealanders and the outcomes the Government wanted. And they needed to ask if someone else could do it better.

"This is not driven by any desire to promote privatisation; it is simply ensuring that taxpayers' dollars are spent well. In countries with which we like to compare ourselves - Australia and Britain, for example - such questions are hardly controversial any more."

Treasury had just completed a comprehensive review which had seen the disestablishment of nine positions, and the creation of eight new ones.

"The review has also been about bringing about a cultural shift at Treasury. We are setting clear expectations and holding leaders to account for their decision-making and behaviours, so that we are making a real impact in what are challenging times."