Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Piss-poor on PEDA

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  • Jan Farr,

    Thanks for fixed links - great broadcast Craig - once I got over your touching admission of faith in the promises of a National Government.

    Carterton • Since Apr 2008 • 395 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    Craig, is this the first time we have ever agreed on something? Are you turning into a socialist?

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Raymond A Francis,

    Craig is

    turning into a socialist?

    So someone has to ask the questions
    I do think this looks dodgy but how is it different from the last Government giving money for"education" to the Unions while hitting the same unions for money for re-election and baubles
    Oh that's right hopefully some Pacific Islanders might get some of this money while making some Nationals mates look good

    I will still concede it looks dodgy and it is worth further examination
    But where was Russell when Labour was handing out the cash to their mates

    45' South • Since Nov 2006 • 578 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Raymond the dodgy process is enough, though in any case I doubt Labour ever directly funded private organisations to provide services in competition to those unions.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Hilary Stace,

    IIRC the Auditor General's report is called Procurement in the Public service, recently updated from the original report from about 2001 which was the result of an investigation after a then opposition MP (Murray McCully I think) complained about lack of proper process for the letting of a Ministry of Health contract. I wonder what he thinks of the PEDA case?

    Since then contracting for public money has been subject to very strict and transparent tender requirements.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Are you turning into a socialist?

    Nah, just one of those Tories for whom a disorderly balance sheet just misses the cut for the Horsemen of The Apocalypse.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Ross Mason,

    This reeks of Pork Barrel shit to me. Except the "representatives" haven't been voted for yet......

    Upper Hutt • Since Jun 2007 • 1590 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    @Raymond

    I do think this looks dodgy but how is it different from the last Government giving money for"education" to the Unions while hitting the same unions for money for re-election and baubles

    I take it you're referring to the Employment Relations Education Contestable Fund, which continues to operate much as it did under Labour.

    The biggest single recipient of funding in 2003-2004 was Business New Zealand. The biggest single recipient of funding in 2009/10 was ... Business New Zealand.

    And these are contestable contracts for specified training and education services, awarded by an indpendent committee, where employer, union and education interests are represented.

    It's pretty much the bloody opposite of what I have written about in the above post.

    But where was Russell when Labour was handing out the cash to their mates

    Not believing everything I read in certain right-wing blogs, probably.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Craig Ranapia,

    Craig is

    turning into a socialist?

    So someone has to ask the questions

    Excuse me, darling? I'm asking the same questions I'd be asking of any Labour-lead government under the same circumstances. FFS, I've been a member of the National Party for twenty years, an office holder for five of them, never dressed to the left (electorally speaking) but if my "side" deserves a good bitch-slap I'm going to hand it down.

    That is all.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    No, Craig's still a conservative, the proper sort.

    Anywaaay ... thing's I've learned since yesterday morning:

    1. Richard Pamatatau didn't get his documents through OIA, but via a leak, which shows the value of a good contacts book and trusted relationships.

    2. The Herald did have OIA requests in with the offices of English and Te heuheu, but have been stalled for weeks, and thus got scooped by Richard.

    I'm still of the mind that this is an Auckland story, and it's in Auckland that the Herald should have done better.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    Did the radio just say they are now investigating the leak?

    Because, y'know, that's the problem.

    After all, it's important to follow proper process with this kind of thing.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • James Liddell,

    2. The Herald did have OIA requests in with the offices of English and Te heuheu, but have been stalled for weeks

    It's also interesting to note that te Heu Heu hasn't answered any of the parliamentary written questions about this issue:
    http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/Default.htm?p=1&search=1599859301

    The answers are way overdue and she's in breach of standing orders by not answering them.

    I read into this that a) there is more to this than meets the eye and b) te Heu Heu and English haven't figured out what their strategy for dealing with it is.

    Wellington • Since Jul 2007 • 102 posts Report

  • Russell Brown,

    Did the radio just say they are now investigating the leak?

    Yup. Witch-hunt officially on.

    Hole. Digging.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • Kyle Matthews,

    Is that person covered by the whistle blower legislation? I can't remember the details of it.

    Since Nov 2006 • 6243 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic,

    Yup. Witch-hunt officially on.

    Hole. Digging.

    The smilers & wavers say, don't you worry about that!

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

  • Matthew Poole,

    So in the last six months we've had leaks on mining, Archives/National Library being merged, and now PEDA. How long'd it take Labour before they notched up three policy leaks? Midway through their first term?

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Sacha,

    Aren't the current lot midway through their first term?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Lyndon Hood,

    I don't recall Labour running so many investigations though. The problem with doing that is that AFAIK most quiet handing of policy to the media is done by Ministers.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 1115 posts Report

  • Matthew Poole,

    Sacha, yes, they are. And I don't recall Labour having so many witch-hunts going on at any point in their last reign, never mind only halfway through their first term. I probably could've phrased things a little better.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    From Parliament Questions for written answer...

    10190 (2010). Su'a William Sio to the Minister of Pacific Island Affairs (04 Jun 2010): What, if anything, did Pacifc Economic Development Agency Limited say it could deliver for youth training in return for the $4.8 million dollars of taxpayer money that other well established organisations can not?
    Hon Georgina te Heuheu (Minister of Pacific Island Affairs) replied: Reply due: 15 Jun 2010

    She has still not replied. Which makes total bollocks of Mr English's reply to the house today about all the stuff National is doing for Pacific Island kids through this dubious deal.

    I would have thought that the Labour Party would be pleased that the Government is taking action to help those who are probably New Zealand’s most disadvantaged group: young, unskilled Pacific Islanders with no jobs.

    Today in Parliament

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Stephen Judd,

    Hon BILL ENGLISH: That kind of advice is not unusual—

    Hon Members: Ha, ha!

    I am afraid I read that in the voice of Nelson Munz.

    Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 3122 posts Report

  • Sam F,

    Hon BILL ENGLISH: That kind of advice is not unusual—

    Hon Members: Ha, ha!

    Got a song stuck in my head now...

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1611 posts Report

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