OnPoint by Keith Ng

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OnPoint: Some of My Best Friends are Consultants

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  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    if it’s a Select Committee annual financial review, then the answer is us voters.

    I was thinking more the Terrace Troika of Treasury, the State Services Commission, and the DPMC.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Oh, BTW... Thanks, Keith. Your efforts are appreciated.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    I was thinking more the Terrace Troika of Treasury, the State Services Commission, and the DPMC.

    Which are in the process of being quietly munged into one entity as we type. Don't look for leadership or oversight there.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Keith Ng,

    Thanks!

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 543 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    oh, there will be 'leadership' in the sense of faithfully carrying out the executive's wishes.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic,

    The Chief Ombudsman has just lobbed a political grenade into the asset sales debate. Could this be to asset sales what the High Court has been to the Crafarms deal?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    Unlikely. The current government are in no hurry to empower the Ombudsmen, as witnessed by their lack of urgency on rectifying the Office's dire funding situation.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    The Chief Ombudsman's comments are also unlikely to encourage National to make the additional funding a priority. Public servants should know their place, and if they get lippy, well, there are ways of dealing with "independent" bodies.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Pete Sime, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    On the other hand, the Ombudsman’s opinion would be quite persuasive if someone wanted to seek a judicial review over a decision not to release that information.

    Dunedin • Since Apr 2008 • 171 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    there are ways of dealing with "independent" bodies

    lots of construction activity in Christchurch... #concrete

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ombudsmen's decisions can be seriously slowed down as demonstrated by this one on the government seeking to thwart OIA requests for lists of Briefings to Incoming Ministers - over 3 years ago (141KB PDF) via Idiot/Savant.

    Like many things, their ultimate effect relies on the opposition functioning properly. With a thin majority and internal bickering, that pressure can easily bring down a government. We don't need to suffer another 3 years, despite what bumblers like Mallard and Pagani might believe.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    You just need to look at the sort of projects coming out on the GETS website.

    As I pointed out a couple of weeks back

    Can anybody give me any assurance that this is not a list of jonkey’s previous Employers/Mates?
    It all fits a little too neatly for my liking.

    It is not just a case of ex public employees returning as consultants it is the number of “Usual Suspects” rolling up with their hands out that pisses me off. Not to mention the numbers of ex MPs jumping on the gravy train but then what do we expect from a National Government.
    Inflated “Mates Rates” for your mates.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie,

    Will we be able to OIA such info after an organisation is partially privatised?

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    Like many things, their ultimate effect relies on the opposition functioning properly. With a thin majority and internal bickering, that pressure can easily bring down a government.

    Or a good dose of leaks, à la MFAT. Or even HB Gary Federal.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Tim Michie,

    Will we be able to OIA such info after an organisation is partially privatised?

    It's a good question. See DeepRed's link above, where the Ombudsman seems to think so, but nothing is certain with this government.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • andin,

    Despite not having 30% of the data, they considered it proof that the Capping regime wasn’t affecting consulting expenditure. Having declared that it was okay for that one year, they stopped measuring the the regime against this data, even though it was still being compiled by Treasury.

    That's just shoddy, lazy and self serving and it's not criminal heh!

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    the Ombudsman seems to think so

    she *wants* so.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to nzlemming,

    the Ombudsman seems to think so, but nothing is certain with this government.

    No, she's quite sure it won't be so based on National's utterances thus far. She wants it to be so, but the current plan espoused by National is to become majority shareholder of something that strongly resembles a fully private company: no Treaty obligations, no pesky Ombudsmen or Official Information Act, etc

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • nzlemming, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    Ah, my bad. Thanks, Matthew and Sacha

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report Reply

  • Steve Barnes,

    Not sure how this fist this tread but…
    Court overturns conviction for theft of Goldman source code

    The court suggested it might have reached a different conclusion if Aleynikov had smuggled the source code out of the building on a CD or thumb drive. But because he uploaded the source code via the Internet, it could not be described as “goods, wares,” or “merchandise."

    And…

    Goldman’s HFT system was strictly for the firm’s internal use. It had not sold or licensed it to anyone else, nor did it intend to do so. According to the Second Circuit, this meant that the HFT system was not “produced for” or “placed in” interstate commerce. And so stealing its source code wasn’t a crime under the EEA.

    So, the programme that collapsed the Global Financial System is Open Source now?.
    OH, the Fucking Irony...
    OTFI?

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    your optimism was touching

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • David Chittenden, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    You just need to look at the sort of projects coming out on the GETS website.

    I understand that only tenders at or above $100,000 need to go through the GETS system, so there will be a huge amount of consulting going on that doesn't make it on to GETS. As it has been pointed out, GETS is a slow and painful process so it is often easier to break large potential contracts up into chunks of less than $100,000. After one contract is completed, the next stage still has to go out for tender (just not on GETS). So it can lead to a situation where government agencies will probably go with those that won the previous tender (as it is seen as a continuation of the same work) and annoy other bidders with wasted time developing their proposals.

    Since May 2011 • 31 posts Report Reply

  • Tim Michie, in reply to nzlemming,

    Repeated again in the last third of Court Report. Ombudsman Beverley Wakem is making this point whenever possible it seems.

    Auckward • Since Nov 2006 • 614 posts Report Reply

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