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National's ethics smell of political expediency
by Graeme J. Davidson

Originally appeared in The Dominion Post Religion and Ethics column 13 June 2009

... Prime Minister John Key has given us an insight into his Government’s ethics – and they smell of political expediency. He says, “as a general rule we tend to keep separate the personal lives and professional lives of people we put into various appointments”. That was his justification for cabinet’s approval of Christine Rankin as one of the seven commissioners on the Families Commission.
...Rankin has been married four times and her latest marriage was within months of the death of her new husband’s previous wife.
... Association of Psychotherapists secretary Marlyn Robson wrote an open letter to Key: "I am not sure of the suitability of someone with her very public private and public life to be a role model and wonder what exactly she has done to reduce child abuse."
... The fact that the Families Commission is concerned with the quality of our personal home life makes Rankin’s very public personal life highly relevant. But, according to Key, Rankin’s assumed expertise in the area of abused children is sufficient qualification for him.
It suggests this Government has a cynical approach to ethics. It’s prepared to turn a blind eye to the personal lives of people it patronises. ... ... But if there are any moral lapses in the lifestyles of those they don’t like, they’ll use that against them. Trevor Mallard spent sin-bin time in the backbenches for taking a swing at National MP Tau Henare after Henare commented on Mallard’s personal life. When Mallard was recently reappointed to Labour’s front bench, Key couldn’t resist a backhanded swipe: “It shows you how little talent Labour’s got … he’s probably good at throwing his fists around”.
... Or has Key adopted the popular myth that what we do in private, as long as it’s lawful, is our own affair? This dual ethic – one for the home and the other for work – assumes we can draw a line between our public and personal lives. And that’s the problem.
... Social mores shift. Forty years ago, we prosecuted homosexuals for what they did behind closed doors, whereas we mostly ignored family violence. Now it’s the other way round. Besides, our so-called personal behaviour affects our attitudes, character, and how we behave at work. And our work ethic affects our personal life – making it difficult to pigeonhole our conduct into separate professional and private compartments.
... Imagine that the Government wants to promote a lawyer to the bench of judges. Several sex workers reveal he has paid them for sadomasochistic sex involving plenty of punishment. It’s not the usual form of personal recreation, but it is legal. Yet, many would see this as a character flaw and worry about whether, as a judge, he would act out his violent fantasies in his judgements. Even if he assured us it was nothing but an erotic distraction, there would still be a doubt about whether justice could be seen to be done.
... Several years ago, Boeing, the giant aircraft corporation, fired CEO Harry Stonecipher for having an extramarital relationship with one of his senior female staff. There was no conflict of interest and the affair didn’t affect the CEO’s ability to get the job done, but Boeing wouldn’t accept that their CEO’s private life was none of their business. Boeing’s chairperson, Lew Platt, gave this explanation. "The CEO must set the standard for unimpeachable professional and personal behaviour".
... Boeing believed that if an executive is prepared to cheat on a spouse, it could suggest he or she has a character flaw that could spill over into their day job. If a boss deceives a spouse, doesn’t this increase the likelihood that he or she will deceive employers, colleagues, suppliers, and customers? That kind of cheating strikes at the core of an organisation’s reputation.
... Boeing’s reputation and its stock soared after it took its tough ethical stand. Isn’t it time Key did the same and demanded exemplary ethical behaviour that is a good role model instead of hiding behind a two-faced personal-professional dichotomy?

Copyright ©2005
Graeme Davidson

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