I’m kind of disappointed that there are advocates screaming blue murder* about public service cut backs, and no salary increases for teachers and nurses and the like, but no one is thinking of we consultants.

Now I know that most of you probably think that we are a mob of sponging no-hopers, but the fact of the matter is most of us do very good work and our clients love us.  We are in essence corporate (or government) problem solvers and industry specialists and experts.  Not all organizations can afford to hire or train people to have the best or latest knowledge and not all organizations can cope with their workload, hence we help out.  I will also note that my company in particular provides functions like Internal Audit, Risk Management, IT security support etc, so it’s not completely pointless stuff.

One thing I have found out was cut in the Commonwealth budget and now in the state government is consulting fees.  And not only is it bad news, but it’s something of a false economy.  (Whilst it’s yet to impact my organization, I’m worried that it may.)  Many organizations like mine are hired to do project work and also because the government has chosen to outsource some or all of it’s IT, Risk and Audit work.  If they cut budgets to people like me, what are they going to do?

So would someone please think of the consultants?

* I have just wondered what the origin of this phrase is and have just looked it up.  The Yahoo answer seems to be one of those typical examples of why you have to be careful when using the net a source of information, there are almost half a dozen explanations of the origin of the phrase.  Most of them seem like BS.  I do like the Wiki.Answers explanation the best.  And I am wondering who on earth these people are who have never heard the phrase ‘blue murder’ and think that it’s a corruption of ‘bloody murder?’  What rock have you been hiding under?