If you want people to react badly keep them waiting
Inarrowly averted a smack in the face this week. I was head down walking briskly towards the Ministry of Social Development’s office in Rotorua.
I assumed the closed doors were electronic and would swing back as I approached. They didn’t and I kept walking.
It was only at the last minute when I spied two security guards standing beside the doors that I took quick evasive action.
I don’t know how I could have missed them either. They were not exactly petite.
You know how it is when you do something stupid, you quickly look around to see if anyone was looking.
Anyone looking? There were at least 10 people staring and looking at me. How the hell did I miss them too?
They formed the queue, the younger security guard told me I had to join. Basically, get in line lady.
I stood back and surveyed the scene. What a dehumanising sight.
Good people; our friends, family members and neighbours leaning against, and lining, the front entrance doorway and outside wall of MSD’s Rotorua office. And it gets worse.
They also line up and queue on the pavement too. Of course, I ventured my opinion to the security guards.
I made a point of telling them I understood this doleful scene was as a result of an edict from on high.
I remember that young security guard from 16 months ago, the last time I was in MSD’s office. He was polite and patient then and still is.
He’s just what’s needed to defuse the potential ugly situations that can occur when people are treated like cattle.
I asked the woman at the front of the queue how long she had been waiting in line. She thought about 45 minutes. This was confirmed by the woman next to her.
I asked if there were any seats, particularly for the older people waiting and leaning against the wall.
No, I was told these could be used as weapons. That could well be true because in my indignation I felt like
What I saw this week is nothing they said. The queue often stretches right down the street. In good weather and bad.
throwing something, anything at those damn closed doors.
Who treats people like this? And why are we putting up with this s*** treatment of our citizens?
People are people whatever their circumstances.
Two MSD staff I know told me they were embarrassed every time they had to walk past the queue.
The queue often stretches right down the street. In good weather and bad.
What’s going to happen in winter, when it’s cold and miserable out on the pavement?
Apparently, older people sit in their cars and someone keeps an eye on their place in the queue.
They are alerted when it’s time to get out of the car as they’ll be just about at the start of the queue. The doors will soon be open for them.
I don’t think queuing outside MSD’s offices is happening all around the country.
I am often in Henderson and have never seen a queue outside the office there. Why in Rotorua? The Rotorua office is big.
Sixteen months ago I waited 40 minutes to speak to someone. There is enough space inside to form two queues of at least 24 people.
In my bank, if there is a queue forming a customer service assistant will come out and go along the queue asking what assistance is needed.
They handle the small stuff quickly and the queue is reduced smartly.
A young man, leaning against his bicycle, told me he just needed to return a form, now completed with his details.
He said he only wanted to drop it off but had been waiting 30 minutes. There’s something wrong here. Not all people have to wait to see someone.
MSD should look at better utilising existing space, better screening for quick fixes so as to reduce waiting time and start treating service users as people, with
respect.
They will invariably tell you they must look after the security of their staff. That is a given, no argument there.
But we do know that people coming to MSD offices are usually already under stress.
MSD is heightening this stress by treating them in this fashion.
If you want people to react badly, keep them waiting outside in the cold.
Keep them lined up against the building or sitting on the pavement.
The resigned look I saw on the face of the elderly woman in her wheelchair, waiting patiently in line on the pavement made my blood boil.
So much so that I put a call through to Wellington.
From the pavement outside the Rotorua MSD office.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait has worked in the private, public and nonprofits sectors. Today she writes, broadcasts and is a regular social issues commentator on TV. Of Te Arawa, Merepeka believes fearless advocacy for equity and equality has the potential to change lives.