WASHINGTON (June 13): A new poll has found that nearly two-thirds of Americans do not trust the Federal Government, marking a near record-low confidence in the country’s political institutions.
The Partnership for Public Service poll of 800 US adults shows just 23 per cent trust the Government, compared to 35 per cent in 2022.
Chief Executive of the Partnership for Public Service, Max Stier (pictured) said the decline in the public’s trust in the Federal Government — “our most important democratic institution” — was alarming.
Experts worry deepening mistrust could impact voting and engagement, ultimately acting as a disincentive for citizens to engage with and provide feedback to their Government altogether.
This also comes at a time when Federal Agencies are trying to use modern technology to improve their relationship with constituents through more user-friendly websites, digital filing systems and in-person recruiting.
That seems to have made an impact given about half of respondents said they were satisfied with their personal interactions with the Government.
Even so, concerted efforts made by Agencies to hire young workers may be stunted by levels of mistrust, particularly among those ages 18-to-34, where data shows trust has fallen from 30 per cent to 15 per cent since 2022.
The survey also supports findings that Republicans are even less likely to have confidence in their Government.
Members of Congress and expert organisations that watch the Government have noted that attacks on the Civil Service have gained steam in conservative circles.
The survey found that almost two-thirds of respondents said there were “many” Civil Servants that refused to cooperate with policies they disagreed with, with almost 79 per cent of Republicans affirming that statement compared to 55 per cent of Democrats. Fewer than a quarter said Civil Servants were non-partisan.
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Top UK bureaucrat gets nuclear job
LONDON (June 13): Former Permanent Secretary at the United Kingdom Cabinet Office, Sir Alex Chisholm has been appointed UK Chair of EDF Energy after having previously run the Department that contracted it to build a nuclear power station in Britain.
Mr Chisholm was head of the UK Department of Business which worked on the Government deal for EDF to proceed with the Hinkley Point C nuclear plant in Somerset, struck in 2016.
The projects costs have since soared from an estimated £18 billion ($A34.7 billion) to at least £31 billion ($A59.7 billion) and is due to be completed in 2031.
The French State-owned company is a specialist in nuclear power, and one of the ‘big six’ energy providers that have been criticised for huge profits during the energy crisis sparked by the war in Ukraine.
Mr Chisholm’s departure is one of a number of high-profile exits from the Civil Service before the General Election and a likely change of governing party.
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Japan’s private sector winning jobs battle
TOKYO (June 15): The shortage of Civil Servants in rural areas of Japan is raising serious concerns.
As the country’s population dwindles and ages, private-sector businesses are becoming increasingly aggressive in recruiting young talent, promising job applicants their assignments even before extending formal job offers — a previously unheard-of practice in Japan.
Researcher at the Recruit Works Institute, Kenji Hashimoto said fewer students were considering a Civil Service career than in recent years.
“With career advancement still largely based on seniority, Local Government personnel often have to wait until they are around 50 years old before being promoted to management levels,” Mr Hashimoto said.
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Cuts bring fears for NZ digital safety
WELLINGTON (June 19): New Zealand’s largest Public Service union, the Public Service Association (PSA) has described job cuts at the Department of Internal Affairs as “reckless and disturbing”, especially after the Department’s digital safety teams had advised of a concerning rise in objectionable content online.
Minister in charge of the Department, Brooke van Velden said Department bureaucrats had assured her they would be able to meet “the same service delivery” as currently expected after the job cuts.
A total of 76 roles have been cut from the Department’s Regulation and Policy Branch, with a further 22 jobs to go across digital safety and anti-money-laundering groups.
Assistant Secretary of the PSA, Fleur Fitzsimons said as a result of the cuts more New Zealanders would be scammed, exposed to violent extremism and sexual exploitation at a time of rising harm online.
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Maltese PM’s criticisms of officers rejected
VALETTA (June 13): Malta’s Opposition Nationalist Party says it stands by Civil Servants after Prime Minister, Robert Abel blamed them for his Labour Government’s poor performance in European Parliamentary elections.
Mr Abela had said that those bureaucrats “who thought they had a cushy job and were not prepared to serve the people in their legitimate demands should move on before the decision was taken for them”.
In a statement, the Nationalists said the Prime Minister was in a panic and fearful of a party revolt, so was trying to blame others for Labour's poor result.
The statement urged Civil Servants to “follow the truth”, saying only they could stop abuses by Mr Abela and his colleagues.
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Joint backing for Fiji pay rise
The Fiji Public Service Association and the Fiji Council of Social Services are calling for an across-the-board pay rise for Civil Servants and the implementation of a new national minimum wage rate.
In a joint statement, the two bodies said the salary increase was long overdue and must be a top priority for the Coalition Government due to the high cost of living, and an inflation rate of more than seven per cent.
They said the last salary increase for Civil Servants was in 2017 while the national minimum wage of $F4 ($A2.74) an hour was in need of an urgent increase.
“The implementation of these measures is crucial to enhance accountability, transparency, and public trust in the Parliamentary system,” the joint statement said.
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Chinese military secrets ‘sold’ for a dollar
BEIJING (June 14): A Chinese military history enthusiast who picked up four discarded books for less than a dollar at a neighbourhood recycling station found they contained confidential military documents.
This follows a Ministry of State Security announcement in a social media post, praising the retired man for calling a hotline to report the incident. It identified him only by his family name, Zhang, and did not say what the documents were about.
“Mr Zhang thought to himself that he had ‘bought’ the country’s military secrets and brought them home, but if someone with ulterior motives were to buy them, the consequences would be unimaginable,” the Ministry said.
The post is the latest in a series from the Ministry that appears to be trying to draw in new audiences with dramatic stories designed to raise awareness of the importance of national security at a time when confrontation with the United States is rising.
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Belgian officer accused of green fraud
BRUSSELS (June 15): An official in the Belgian Wallonia Region’s Public Service has been accused of embezzling funds from the sale of green certificates.
The official worked in the Office for Sustainable Energy Promotion, responsible for the management of green certificates, which are issued for the sustainable generation of energy.
The suspect allegedly manipulated the encoded data, resold the certificates, then lodged the proceeds in different bank accounts to avoid detection by the computer system or colleagues, netting an estimate haul of around €150,000 ($A246,000).
The official is now under suspension and the Namur Public Prosecutor’s Office has been informed. Legal proceedings are under way.
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Spicy noodles too hot for Danish regulators
COPENHAGEN (June 13): The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration has recalled several spicy ramen noodle products produced by South Korean company, Samyang, claiming the capsaicin levels in them could poison consumers.
The Agency urged consumers to abandon the product, even as Samyang produced a statement saying there was no problem with the quality of the food.
"We understand that the Danish food authority recalled the products, not because of a problem in their quality but because they were too spicy," Samyang said.
"The products are being exported globally and this is the first time they have been recalled for the above reason."
It's unknown if any specific incidents in Denmark had prompted the Agency to take action.
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