Actually TS I do believe that the last decade has dished up a huge shift in attitude from the PGDB towards industry.  This began when Mr Routhan became Board chair and Ms Singleton took over as CEO.  There was a palpable change in attitude and I believe this is when the breakdown and disconnect started with practitioners.  Subsequent Board' s have never quite been totally cleared out and so this sort of collective thinking has carried on over the last few Boards.  I believe that the Minister was well aware of this problem and it wouldn't surprise me if Ms Armstrong wasn't appointed to try and remove certain persons and clear the decks for people to move on.  We did eventually see Mr Routhan removed and registrar and then a subsequent Employment Court hearing - which thankfully was resolved without him getting back as Registrar.  I agree there have always been complaints, but you must agree that they have never been at a level they are now.  This Board has an opportunity to bring industry along with them in assisting them to protect the health and safety of the public and yet they continue to lose trust and faith from the very people that 100% fund them.  They used to operate within a reasonable budget in an office in Alicetown Lower Hutt, but the Routhan/Singleton area saw budgets being blown and reserves spent with gay abandon.  A move to the Terrace was teh beginning of some serious empire building.  I believe that something has to give soon - a lot of industry has got behind the Federation who are working through a lot of issues within a very small budget with no staff - i.e. all the work is done by volunteers on top of their day job.  There are a number of irons in the fire including a petition for a commission of enquiry into the governance of the industry.  You sound like you come from a background of working for a council or govt department so you know that these things are never done with any great speed and have to go through many layers of bureacracy - I say watch this space - as Rachael Hunter says - It may not happen over night, but it will happen.

And for the record, I don't mind if you don't agree with me, I enjoy the debate and the opportunity to understand why people think what they do.  It would be a sad and boring world if we all agreed with each other.