Well now, what a damp squib THAT turned out to be...

I had intended to post up a tirade about documentation that came my way for a vacant position advertised here recently. Of the six individual documents, one was a description of the organisation, another the job description for the position.

Both were quite short, the organisation description a two page table, the JD a six page statement of HR-speak that probably required two Batchelors and a Master to compile.

Both were almost impossible to understand at first read. Both used some of the most complex and convoluted language I have seen in one heck of a long time. A sample -

"The Business
The focus of the Local Government and Community Branch (LGCB) is on fostering sustainable community development and local governance. The Branch exists to:
provide high quality advice on the legislative and regulatory framework of local government;

• provide high quality community development support services and advice;
  
• provide high quality service to the National Advisory Committee for COGs and its distribution Committees; the Lottery Grants Board; and a significant number of Trusts;
  
• provide ongoing assessment of the needs of the community , ensuring these are reflected in service delivery and advice;
  
• provide high quality, evaluative thinking and evidence informed policy analysis and advice to Ministers to support their decision-making;
  
• be the primary repository of knowledge and information on local government and community matters;
  
• assist in the management of local government/central government interface in relation to the community outcome processes
  
• assist in the development of sound relationships between whänau, hapü, iwi, Mäori and local government.
  

The position was for a Project Coordinator, part time, involved in "sustainable cities".

So I pondered on this while soaking in a really truly mineral pool in Rotorua these past three days and decided that I needed to look at it again. That evolved into a damnation of knowing little to nothing about "sustainable cities".

So, I tried to write up on that, tying the topic to the coming municipal elections. After several hours, all I managed to do was confirm even more just how ignorant I am on the subject.

I think I need to attend some election meetings, ask some questions...