Commission under attack over CYF head's contract

The State Services Commission's handling of outgoing Child, Youth and Family head Paula Tyler's contract is under fire on all fronts.

The Herald understands she blames the commission for her early departure.

Ms Tyler recently announced she would leave just 18 months into her three-year contract, prompting the National Party to complain she should refund part of the $70,000 spent recruiting her.

State Services Commissioner Mark Prebble said her contract made no provision for repayment of the costs in the event she left early.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday that she was concerned about the agreement.

"I think the contract should have been tighter. I think everyone appreciates that helping people relocate may well be part of the package, but I would have thought it should be tied to seeing out the term." She expected that contracts would be better drawn up in future.

But a source told the Herald Ms Tyler believed the commission should take responsibility for her departure as it had failed to uphold a commitment it had made to find her partner a suitable job.

Peter Kruselnicki was a senior bureaucrat in Alberta, Canada, and one-time Deputy Minister of Finance.

The $70,000 included two return airfares between Canada and New Zealand to enable him to seek employment opportunities.

He was finally made a visiting fellow at Victoria University's public administration faculty.

The Herald's source said the job was essentially a sinecure and not at all the type of senior state sector position he was qualified to do and which the pair had been led to believe would be found for him.

The commitment had been informal but in good faith and Ms Tyler had expected it to be honoured.

Tired of "fiddling his thumbs", Mr Kruselnicki had opted to return to Canada to work for Alberta Premier Ralph Klein.