The latest cabinet "re-shuffle" cements the People's Partnership reputation in government as one of self-seekers, very loosely "controlled" by a weak Prime Minister who evidently feels that power is obtained only with rewards.

How else can we view the proliferation of ministers into a now-completely divided disorganisation that cannot by any stretch of the imagination "govern"?

This is any management consultant's nightmare. It is and will remain impossible to knit the ridiculous ministerial responsibilities into a functioning government.

The civil service, that has to implement policies which originate in this tangle and craft legislation, will have hell's own job to avoid overlaps and duplication with all the searches for conflicts that wily lawyers will delight in finding to render any laws and regulations used in prosecution, useless.

I see only a perpetuation of the situation where "minister-speak" tells us that for every problem identified — it will be "addressed", or "we are studying it", "drafting a cabinet note", or "we are holding a workshop", "we have engaged (more) consultants" etc. Result — nothing is done, and there were probably adequate laws already in existence to handle such problems, but nobody looked these up in between ever- increasing public appearances, announcements, and press conferences. And then we are all distracted away by the next real or contrived "problem" or news item.

Imagine the new staffing, salaries and allowances, transportation, stationery and telephone directory changes, and office requirements for these useless appointments. Is this that the Government is demonstrating as "austerity" in times when revenues are declining, state borrowings increasing, and below-inflation rate increases are inflicted on labour?

The basis for acceptance of shuffles is quite plain for all to see — a MP gets a mere $18,500 per month, while a minister gets approximately $45,800 to $51,800.

In 2010 we saw the logical conclusion to a government that practiced this type of policy for too long. We were all amazed that in the past an entire cabinet could stay muted while the leader inflicted nonsense on the nation. We have since heard little about the campaign trail promises of the right of recall and term limits that were popularly received by voters and which now urgently need implementation — starting at the very top.

Reg Potter

Glencoe