back to article Gov workers told their social posts are more believable than politicians' statements

Australian government employees have been advised that their social media emissions carry more weight than pronouncements by ministers. A document updated today and titled Making public comment on social media: A guide for employees, says “As an employee of your agency, people will assume that you have a high level of …

  1. Flocke Kroes Silver badge

    Document's author in breach of code of conduct

    "The Code’s behavioural standards are directed at securing public confidence in the integrity of the Australian Public Service"

    "As an employee of your agency, people will assume that you have a high level of knowledge about what your agency does."

    The author of the guide has just broken the code by implying that employees do not have knowledge of what their agency does.

    1. Neil Barnes Silver badge

      Re: Document's author in breach of code of conduct

      by implying that the employee does not have a *high* level of knowledge...

      I'd read that differently. The majority of employees will not be policy makers, but the people who actually get the work done around the place. They know what to do but not necessarily why they do it. The concern is that their posts will be seen as if they know the whys and wherefores.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "They will think that you know ‘what’s really going on’"

    So what really is going on?

    P.S. Don't mention the lizards.

    1. Brewster's Angle Grinder Silver badge

      "So what really is going on?"

      Nobody has a clue. Especially not the minister.

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Meh

    In other words....

    Low level workers known for being honest.

    High level workers known to lie.

    I'll elaborate.

    High level worker. We are leveraging a more fluid and dynamic workforce through a proactive realignment of resources which will directly benefit the customer experience.

    Low level Worker. They are sacking people and expecting everyone else to do their jobs. At least you'll only have one bunch of people to complain to when things fail to get done.

    Who'da thunk it.

  4. Lysenko

    <<“APS employees must not make public comment that may lead a reasonable person to conclude that they cannot serve the government of the day impartially and professionally.”

    To retain public confidence and stay on the right side of the code, workers are advised that “Criticising the work, or the administration, of your agency is almost always going to be seen as a breach”.>>

    This is essentially the same thing as: "To retain public confidence in the judicial system you are advised that returning any verdict other than guilty will be seen as a breach."

    Invariably backing an edict or policy regardless of merit is the exact antithesis of impartiality. It is no surprise to anyone that Ministers want parrots, not thinkers, and it isn't even surprising they won't admit it. However asserting that they value the diametric opposite of reality demonstrates depressing levels of mendacity. "Integrity? We've heard of it. Seemed like a bad idea".

  5. Adrian 4
    Holmes

    No shit

    'more believable than politicians' statements'

    Is any source LESS believable than politicians statements ?

    1. Bronek Kozicki
      Trollface

      Re: No shit

      yeah, pull other one

    2. Mark 85
      Devil

      Re: No shit

      Is any source LESS believable than politicians statements ?

      According to one well known politico.... it's "FAKE NEWS!". I'll go hide in the bunker and do penance for this.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Thought Police strike again

    Don't have an opinion. Unless it agrees with the rules. Comply citizen.

    1. codejunky Silver badge

      Re: The Thought Police strike again

      Worryingly thats what I read.

  7. K

    The whole thing reeks of arrogance..

    You can almost see what the author wished he could add to the end:

    ".. Will believe you are privy to the real workings of government,"

    Follow up by

    "But you know nothing, Jon Snow"..

  8. Draco
    Big Brother

    I think the real message is "People have no credibility in the government or its official announcements."

  9. Ken Hagan Gold badge

    Honesty is the best policy

    They work for us, not the minister. (The minister also works for us. The word means "underling", "minion" or "servant".) If they criticise the government in posts made as part of their day job, that's unprofessional. If at least some of them don't criticise the government when they get home, that's scary. I will assume they've been shat upon at work from such a great height that they are no longer capable of acting in society's best interests. Time for the offending "minister" to be sacked for workplace bullying.

    Edit: Also ... informed criticism is an essential part of checking that a policy is working as intended. It is precisely because these people know more than we do that they have a public duty to use that knowledge to criticise where a reasonable person might feel there is an alternative viewpoint. Obviously there are issues of privacy but "This will make the minister look bad." is not a privacy issue.

  10. fix

    1984

    Minitrue is here ....

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ignoring comments may be department policy

    Of course I speak anonymously.

  12. Mike Moyle

    "...citizens think they know 'what's really going on'."

    Well, we certainly can't have THAT, now can we?

  13. Suricou Raven

    Papering over the problem:

    Problem: Politicians have such a reputation for dishonesty that the public will place more trust in a rumor spread by the office cleaner than they would in an official pronouncement.

    Solution: Make sure the office cleaner doesn't say anything that might contradict the official line.

    It doesn't seem to address the underlying issue at all. Some sort of public conduct policy for government workers is clearly required, because you can't have them telling stories of their workplace that might leak confidential information, but this one does seem a bit too much influence from the Ministry of Truth.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Did multiculturalism cause this?

    Is it just me, or have the actions of certain new world leaders and certain autocratic states had a flow on effect to the country of the "fair go"? Fair crack of the whip, mate!

  15. GrumpyKiwi

    Trust none of them

    Civil servants have just as many reasons to lie, obfuscate, exaggerate and generally mis-describe situations to their own advantage as their political "masters" do.

    I trust the words of none of them.

    (Confession - Grumpy was one for 10 years which is how he knows these things).

  16. GX5000

    Sounds like a good episode of Yes Prime Minister...

    Bernard: But surely the citizens of a democracy have a right to know.

    Sir Humphrey Appleby: No. They have a right to be ignorant. Knowledge only means complicity in guilt; ignorance has a certain dignity.

  17. Faceless Man

    I was going to comment on this...

    ...but apparently I'm not allowed to...

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