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It seems to me that every time a “bad” OT story comes out a puff PR good story comes out not long after. I have some thoughts on this... https://twitter.com/ikon_media/status/1332764281813680128
Firstly, if this is their response, PR puff pieces then that underscores their neoliberal managerialism.
But more fundamentally if this is their version of “support” for their social workers, saying it’s social worker voice then they’re so far off base they’re on a different planet.
We know that bullying exists at OT. We know because many of us have tried to tell the stories (but have nothing been able to). We know because some stories got out via Reid earlier this year. Social workers under pressure from systemic failures.
Next, if this is their response to being told they have shoddy practice overall then this is worse than my first point. No. This is not the right response to criticism of institutional racism. It’s posturing. It’s also insulting.
It’s insulting and embarrassing for ALL social workers. Not just those used as pawns. It’s also horribly condescending to tangata whenua.
We are told this journalist had “unfettered access”. Really? Aside from the genuine ethical concerns I have about this (and I have a lot), let’s look at what that would mean.
I’m a researcher. A social work researcher. One who looks at child protection issues here in NZ. I’ve got a question for all these journalists. Have you asked how many qualified researchers have been given the same level of access?
I’m betting you haven’t. There’s a real story for you. Why won’t OT allow our top academics to come in and help? Why won’t they allow kaupapa Māori researchers in the door to have unfettered access like that journalist?
Why won’t they let people help? Why are they squashing researchers? Journalists are good for getting stories, sure that’s your job. But do you know (truly) what questions to ask? Do you know where to look? Do you know how to see the gaps?
I’d love to see a journalist spend some time actually looking at this. Why is there so little NZ based research done in this area? Why is this agency, under so much scrutiny, such a closed shop to anyone looking?
A closed shop to anyone other than those paid to stay silent, paid to tell one side of a story, or paid to write a puff piece with little substance and a lot of hot air.
There’s a bigger story here that no ones telling yet. Learn to look behind the puff to the substance of what they’re not saying - and who they’re letting do the talking.
