I might be able to manage a budget surplus too if I had a dollar for every time the Budget papers reminded me of Don Watson’s Weasel Words.
An example:
“The Government has rephased the expansion of the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (ACSQHC), to allow more time for consultations with the key stakeholders in the development of national clinical safety and quality standards. The ACSQHC leads and coordinates improvements in a number of areas relating to safety and quality in health care across Australia, including through issuing advice and preparation of publications.
This measure is expected to save $15.5 million over four years, of which $9.7 million has already been included in the forward estimates. Savings from this measure will be redirected to support other Government priorities.”
And this:
“The Government will streamline and improve delivery of the Rural Education Infrastructure Development Pool, Health Workforce Australia programs and the Health Workforce Flexible Fund. The streamlined health workforce programs will continue to address workforce shortages by recruiting, retaining and training more doctors, nurses and allied health workers in areas and disciplines where they are needed.
This measure provides savings of $67.9 million over three years, which will be redirected to support other Government priorities.”
And this:
“GP Super Clinics program — streamlining
The Government will remove uncommitted funding for the provision of development, networking and other operational activities. These activities will continue to be undertaken through the Medicare Local Network.
This measure will not impact on the construction of GP Super Clinics or primary care infrastructure grants.
This measure will generate savings of $44.0 million over four years. Savings from this measure will be redirected to support other Government priorities.”
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“Rephased the expansion”, “remove uncommitted funding” and “streamlining” – Sir Humphrey Appleby would be proud. No doubt the Plain English Foundation would have some more useful suggestions.
If governments and bureaucrats were more prepared to treat the language (and their readers) with more respect, would we then be more prepared to engage in a respectful discussion about the merits, or otherwise, of funding decisions? Just a thought…
I couldn’t agree more, and if I ever hear the phrase “moving forward” again, I’ll scream! (Watson also covers this- in his books). However, as you say, treating the reader ( and listener and the Electorate) with more respect is the key, which also includes the humility to apologise and try to do better when appropriate- people will more readily forgive public figures if they are honest and are prepared top learn from their mistakes. Imagine if the PM had verbalised the things she said in Feb this year about the style and lack of consultation of her predecessor, instead of weasel words like “losing their way”! She wouldn’t have been back-tracking and seen to be so defensive for a year and a half (and probably destroyed her chances of re-election!). Straight talking, humility and honesty from community leaders – where has it gone- we desperately need it!