$65,000 resort retreat 'cheap at the price'

I just read message #34, I'd like to know what department you worked in as my dept is constantly hounding employees about saving costs. That we will be scrutinised for every dollar.

We get told that when we absolutely have to stay out of town, that we consider buying takeaways instead of eating at the hotel to save $20. We are encouraged to find family to stay with to save accommodation costs.

Yes 10 years ago life was great as a public servant. Alcohol could be put on the corporate credit card, there was no shortage of catered meetings and it was nothing to book a flight to Auckland the day before.

Now, you'd be lucky to get a $10 lunch on the corporate credit card, a catered meeting is instant coffee and plain biscuits and you videoconference instead of travelling anywhere. Our wages are way below industry benchmark standards, professional development does not exist. There has been a huge exodus of people from public sector to private because of money and conditions.

Why am I still in the public sector? because I actually love my job and the hope that the boss might shout me a coffee one day.

I agree with #1 and #2, for a two day conference, it's blinking good value. I've seen pamphlets come in from private companies selling two day conferences for well over $3,000 and that doesn't include accommodation and evening/breakfast meals.

As was pointed out on the radio, Helen Clarke probably spends more than that on being taxied around each year. But that's right, it's ok for MPs on huge salaries to be funded for everything by the tax payer.... as long as it's not the public servant!

I wonder if Dr McTurk really has a real doctorate or just another made up one?

Now that the PM has waded into this, it is clear the govt has overreacted and is on the ropes. How can she take such a high handed attitude on this when Ministerial Services provides her with a brand-new 7-series BMW instead of a Toyota? Isn't it the same principle? Is that such a good look?

Meanwhile $hundreds of millions, perhaps $billions of taxpayers funds have been lost through the plummeting value of Air NZ share price and buying railway assets.

$65,000 for a retreat?? That's pretty normal actually for a conference.Obviously people who don't work for companies that don't go on conferences are going to think thats an horrendous price but for us that do go on those two day conferences, we know that they are expensive. Theres flights, food, accomodation, training materials etc. And honestly if the people staying in state houses are going to complain then heres something to think about. Get a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's kind of tiring hearing about these people complain about living in state houses yet they don't help themselves. Hope you all enjoyed two days away from the moaning and complaining!

I think we need to remind government that there is a difference between private sector and public sector. The public sector should never be an industry or a corporate entity. It is a service to the public and those who choose to work in it have made that decision because of their willingness to work for the good of the public. There wages should not be the same with the private sector. The behaviour of Housing NZ is unacceptable as a public service organisation. The reward of being a good public servant is the belief and the knowledge that one is serving its community well. We need to go back to the fundamentals of public sector administration again.

As a recently retired public servant I can claim with authority to say that the culture of extravagence is alive and well throughout the public service. Expenditure such as this can not be justified and any attempt to do so just goes to prove my point.

What makes these people think they need a conference in the first place? Why were they hired to do the job in the first place?? Because they were supposedly good at the skills needed?? Well you'd hope so! We all need upskilling in these fast changing times but we all don't organise a 2 day glorified piss trip (and come on all us who HAVE been on "conferences" do actually know what goes on) Isn't it about time these places were held properly accountable for all expenditure's such as this, and training methods to start happening via emails, tele-conferencing or similar cheap methods that most business currently HAVE the technology for?

What i don't get is why are the MP's in such an uproar?? I mean do they really want us to start looking into all their perks again? Whose taxes do they think pays their overseas conferences that we all know are at top notch.

Oh please what is the fuss about. The person who managed to organise the conference at this price should be promoted to head of housing. Don't go bleating about the poor beneficiares living on $250 a week with 6 people to a 2 bed house. A a time of record low unemployment with employers crying out for people to work you have to be working some real magic to have managed not to be working and with 6 in the house I'd be betting there were at least 3 able to work. Let's stop pandering to those who choose not to. We currently pay them not to work or if they decide to dabble in employment they get a myriad of handouts to help them out. As someone working for an 'average' wage who gets none of these handouts because we've decided to be responsible this sort of bleating really pisses me off. $250 a night is a bargain and those who argue otherwise obviously have NO idea what it costs to run this sort of thing.