In the case of Pharmac, this wasn’t just a bit of a water cooler moan about a pesky journalist inconveniently asking the right questions, or a closed-doors meeting to discuss the best approach to deal with a serial inquisitor.
It was, instead, a significant, systemic and shocking failure to act professionally.
Extremely ill-advisedly, and exhibiting very poor form, Pharmac chief executive Sarah Fitt and other senior staff sent each other emails about broadcaster Rachel Smalley.
Those emails were not just unnecessary but also vindictive, smug and bullying.
That they had been doing so unprofessionally was only revealed when Ms Smalley — a former Newstalk ZB and Today FM radio host who for many years has questioned and openly criticised Pharmac’s funding decisions and founded The Medicine Gap campaign — lodged a Privacy Act request in May asking for any communications which mentioned her.
That generated more than 270 pages of documents, which were released to Ms Smalley after a wait of several months.
Among those were emails from Ms Fitt saying she was pleased Ms Smalley "has a terrible time slot [on Today FM] and not much of a following".
Ms Fitt’s emails also suggested a trip to Auckland to meet her for a "separate meeting off-air with her"
"Just an idea. If we don’t do her, we could do NZ Herald/Stuff/usual suspects or we could just go up and sit in the Viaduct in the sun."
In another example, a Today FM interview between Ms Smalley and patient advocate Fiona Tolich was described as "nauseating" by former Pharmac senior leader Peter Alsop, who has since apologised to Ms Smalley.
As a consequence of the unearthing of such messaging, Pharmac chairman Steve Maharey met senior executives on Monday and made it clear they needed to clean up the mess and identify ways of preventing similar situations in future.
It absolutely should be.
Public servants are meant to work for the public, and the behaviour of a handful of Pharmac staff reveals a shameful culture of arrogance and seeming inviolability.
People talking behind each other’s backs happens everywhere and certainly is a feature of many workplaces.
It is amazing how emboldened individuals can feel with their opinions when they don’t have to say them to somebody’s face.
This debacle is a reminder to all, whether they are in a position of power or not, to be careful what you write.
Who hasn’t accidentally tapped or bashed out a text message or an email and then sent it to the wrong person, sometimes even mortifyingly the person who is the subject of the missive?
It also makes one wonder how many other journalists and keen watchers of government agencies have similarly been besmirched in such a highly unprofessional manner by them for merely doing their job.
It is naive in the extreme that bureaucrats in the windy streets of Wellington might think their messages would blow away in the next gale and forever remain confidential.
Regardless of the proximity of the election, Government agencies can now probably expect a tranche of similar such Privacy Act requests from journalists who have closely followed an issue or ministry over the years.
It is probably fair to say Ms Smalley has been more than just a thorn in the side of Pharmac for some years and has been able to campaign against the agency because of her high-profile with the public.
But that is absolutely no excuse for the disrespect shown to her by Pharmac.
While we believe it remains a tenable organisation which has brought many benefits to those in need of pharmaceutical treatments, while not being able to please everyone, it needs to take a fresh look at the way it deals with journalists, and through them the public.
"Physician, heal thyself" as the saying goes.
