Reserve Bank of New Zealand

Document name

BS11: Outsourcing Policy

Judges’ comment

A note from the original submission: ‘I thought New Zealand government departments had moved beyond this level of archaic drafting.’

Acceptance speech

Kia ora. Thanks for inviting us to write an acceptance speech, WriteMark – we owe you!

First, we must graciously accept our finalist status for “Worst Brainstrain Communication.” The compliance document for the five major banks now has a broader audience – not our intention – but we’re somewhat bemused!

As much as we would like to think our policies lined the bookshelves of the New Zealand general public, and were required summer holiday reading for the beach, BS11 is not aimed at the general public. But we hear you!

We will consider adding a disclaimer to the document to read “Attention: anyone reading this document (other than the five major banks’ lawyers and risk managers) may experience the following symptoms: googly eyes, light-headedness, vertigo, slumber and eventually, coma.

Nga Mihi
The Reserve Bank