With Melissa Lee outside Cabinet, we now have a Minister of Economic Development demoted from the boardroom to a backroom, writes Michael Smythe.
Cabinet door closed on key portfolios
Having shown triple crims, gangs and under-performing ministers who’s the boss, PM/CEO Christopher Luxon could do more to roll with the Ipsos poll calling for “strong leadership”.
With Melissa Lee outside Cabinet, we now have a Minister of Economic Development demoted from the boardroom to a backroom. How does that align with growing a high-wage economy continuously improving our capacity to innovate and deliver high-value products, services and experiences to extremely competitive global markets?
Government has a role in facilitating the synergy of our cross-disciplinary creative potential (apologies for the jargon – I am attempting cut-through to the 9th floor of the Beehive.)
Tertiary education is another essential builder of competitive advantage and, of course, our “clean, green” environment is our strongest branding proposition. But both the tertiary education and environment portfolios sit outside Cabinet in the hands of Penny Simmonds.
A genuinely strong leader would position these generators of our future prosperity in the hands of highly capable ministers at the Cabinet table.
Michael Smythe, Northcote Point.
Backroom cuts
I am not in a position to judge to what extent cuts to government agencies are justified.
However, it does concern me that, in defending the policy to downsize the public service, Christopher Luxon repeatedly stresses that frontline services will not be impacted and that the cuts will be in administrative and “back office” roles.
At times, he and other ministers have spoken quite disparagingly about these roles. This must be incredibly demoralising for administrative staff who believe that they are doing useful and valued work.
This criticism of supporting and administrative roles is surprising for someone with such a strong background in big business. In any large organisation, administrative work behind the scenes provides the foundation which enables the visible frontline to shine.
When Luxon was CEO of Air New Zealand it had a staff of many thousands. Could he please answer the following questions: What percentage were visible frontline roles, such as aircrew, check-in counter staff and baggage handlers? What percentage were non-visible “back office” staff doing the myriad of complex administrative tasks necessary to run a safe and efficient major airline?
Keith Garratt, Rotorua.
On a roll
Christopher Luxon’s cringe-inducing line “this is how I roll” is fertile ground for puns as picked up by the Herald’s headline about Melissa Lee being rolled.
To keep the ball rolling, I think it is clear that Mr Luxon wants to be seen as the ‘heavy roller’ (one for cricket fans) and I guess when his sacked ministers are replaced they will be ‘filled rolls’.
David Sanders, Torbay.
Supermarket surprises
I recently purchased a cleaning product at the supermarket. The price in two weeks had increased 20 per cent. I am sure that the cost to manufacture this product had not gone up 20 per cent.
This is so common now that so many items jump in price weekly, or another trick is the same price but smaller packaging.
Surprise surprise, the so-called competitive supermarket has the same increases on comparative products.
There was also a case recently where The Warehouse had the temerity to lower the price on an item and amazingly there was suddenly a shortage and they could not be supplied.
We now have a consumer watchdog who seems to be asleep. I would like to see some in-depth analysis of random products with severe penalties for continuous cases of unjustified monopoly extravagances.
Vince West, Milford.
Stopping ram-raiders
The article on social investment by Derek Cheng highlighted the upside and value of this alternative funding model (Weekend Herald, Apr 20). We applaud this Government for committing to developing social investment funding.
The only successfully completed social investment programme in NZ was delivered by Genesis Youth Trust, working with youth offenders in South and East Auckland.
Working alongside police, this programme delivered a dramatic reduction in serious offenders (over 50 per cent of the offenders have not re-offended), a financial return for investors and significant lifetime social return of $9 for every dollar invested.
These outcomes are remarkable, but even more remarkable are changes achieved by the 400+ young people who have not re-offended and the impact this has had on their whānau and our society.
This programme alone has exceeded the Government’s current six-year goal to reduce serious youth offenders by over 100 per cent.
A more recent programme working with a multi-agency model has meant 80 per cent of ram-raiders referred to the programme have not re-offended. To quote Sir Bill English: “The hardest job is not actually solution-finding, it’s changing existing institutions to accommodate those solutions”.
Now is the time to start. Start investing in programmes that have proven they can deliver. While we continue to discuss, debate, and produce reports, our young people are missing out on the support they need to change their lives and organisations like Genesis Youth Trust are having to reduce staff numbers due to lack of funding.
Please just start delivering solutions we know will deliver results.
Martyn McKessar, Genesis Youth Trust Board, Auckland chair
Telephone torture
There was a time when a telephone call to a service provider was answered promptly, and by a person.
Now we need to negotiate a maze of alternatives, only to be put on hold for lengthy periods of time.
And then, often a person finally answers only to transfer your call, when once again it remains unanswered.
The standard message that “we are experiencing an unprecedented volume of calls at this time” is manifestly incorrect since the delays have been standard practice for many years. This message adds insult to injury. And don’t start me on the maddening music.
To change to a new provider of service is to no avail, the delays are universal.
Surely these providers realise this cost-saving is alienating their customers? Who after all, provide their income. Perhaps one of them will break ranks and decide to answer the phone promptly?
I live in faint hope.
John Billing, New Plymouth.
Three Strikes
It is frustrating hearing the critics say Three Strikes doesn’t work, they seem to be missing the point.
Not only are they arguing that people who commit three violent offences don’t deserve to be in prison, but they are also missing the fact that a person is unable to offend against the general public while they are in prison.
Three strikes may not stop the third offence from happening, it will stop the fourth. The average Three Strikes offender has 75 convictions and just 21 people have been sentenced to a Third Strike, the total number of people sentenced to a first, second or third strike account for just one per cent of the people sentenced.
These offenders are the worst of the worst and they leave behind a long list of victims, some of whom will never fully recover from the trauma of being the victim of a crime.
Sometimes, locking up an offender isn’t about rehabilitation, but is purely about keeping these people locked away for the safety of everyone else.
Maybe the critics should look at who has been jailed in the past using the Three Strikes law and then tell us all if it is a bad idea.
Mark Young, Ōrewa.
Native tongue
Correspondent Richard Amery shows his ignorance when he states learning te reo is “of no use to us and is of no use to the future of kids of NZ” (Weekend Herald, Apr 20).
New Zealand with its own language should have been encouraged, not discouraged. To be multi-lingual is an asset, as any person from China, Samoa, Tonga, India, Italy (I could go on and on) will attest to.
English is a universal language yes, but it should not to be made more important than the language of our country.
Sharon Marks, Te Aroha.
Do right by this veteran
Never before have I felt so compelled to comment on the well-written and presented story on Rob and Janice Smith’s issue with his motor neurone disease.
Come on Veterans’ Affairs - do the right thing. Look after this man who has served his country all his working life, supported by his wife also. In so doing, he helped keep us all safe so we can live our lives accordingly - now finding himself abandoned.
Why do his final days on this earth have to be consumed with fighting a system VA are throwing him under? He should be supported and cared for simply because he served.
Joan Scott, Rotorua.
It’s not the mum and dad landlords with one rental property (we need these people), it’s when they leverage their assets to outbid first-home buyers for their second or 15th house. First-home buyers need more help, more interest deductibility than someone with multiple houses. Owning a rental depletes the stock available for our children to own their own place (unless they move overseas).
Randel Case, Bucklands Beach.
I find it ironic that Erica Stanford is campaigning to save the North Harbour Stadium under current circumstances. Her (National) party is busy canning important ventures like the inter-island ferries or Auckland’s rail link to the airport due to cost, yet she wants the public to continue financing this white elephant.
Terry Sigley, New Plymouth.
Is it any wonder people drive like cowboys when they’re held up at on-ramps; for, in our case, 19 seconds despite no traffic on the motorway? Is this intended to drive motorists to frustration or is the over-paid traffic engineer a cyclist based in Wellington? Either way, where is the merit in motorway lights? Who in the world promoted this idea?
Mary Tallon, Hauraki.
The National Government’s 4km-long proposed mega tunnel for Wellington is a cunning plan that also doubles as a search for gold in them thar hills that will solve the country’s national debt and help with paying the dole for all those who lost their jobs in the recent round of public sector cuts.
Bernard Walker, Mt Maunganui.
As there are apparently no rehabilitation programmes in prisons, when parole is granted, there are more victims. So back to prison. Three strikes or no three strikes, there are victims. As far as I am concerned, three strikes will keep them in there longer, so no victims during that longer time. It makes sense to me.
Helen Acraman, Waiuku.
Is there a legal definition of a “gang”? If not, what criteria will be used to distinguish between a club or society and a “gang”? Will I be in trouble for wearing my club member’s insignia?
Jeanette Grant, Mt Eden.
Where is the logic of extreme efforts to control our car use to save the planet from climate change, yet no one protests a weekend of multiple car races in Taupō. Totally bizarre.
Hylton Le Grice, Remuera.
A message to the arrogant Remuera dog walkers who are leaving the bag of their dog’s poo where a rubbish bin used to be. Your dog does their business, you bend down and bag it and take it home with you. Easy.
Lorraine Kidd, Warkworth.
One became aware far earlier than the official announcements that Warner Bros financial woes were serious and would impact Newshub when we firstly saw drastic wardrobe cuts, with the weather girl for one having to wear a top with only one sleeve. Early signs indeed.
Alan Walker, St Heliers.
There is one thing I’ll give Christopher Luxon: He has kept his word that his faith is not a political agenda. There is very little Christianity in his Government’s approach so far.
Neville Robertson, Hamilton.
We, as a nation, must applaud the incredible intelligence, and diligence, bestowed upon our senior Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) bureaucrats, who, after 18 months of research announced that water tanks are “unlikely” to be a fire risk “given that the tank would contain water”. That was probably after the advice of a consultant.
Ian Doube, Rotorua.
It's time to check your ticket for the winning numbers.