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@Toddy said in NZ Politics:
Seems Prime Minister Cindy doesn't mind the nick name at all.
So @Stargazer are we all cool calling her Cindy and you not getting all twisted by it?
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Not sure where else to put this. While I think markets are a great way to distribute resources, having 20 health boards for 5million people always seemed a bit nuts. And elections for them always felt like a sham - like who are you electing, and why?
So, generally on board with most of this.
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Infectious diseases specialist Dr Ayesha Verrall is ranked 18th - well above many of the party's sitting MPs - meaning she is almost certain to make into Parliament after September's election.
Verrall was vocal in her criticism of the government's contact tracing programme before being brought in by the Ministry of Health to review its work. Later, she said the contact tracing system had improved.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there was no conflict of interest.
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@Tim said in NZ Politics:
Infectious diseases specialist Dr Ayesha Verrall is ranked 18th - well above many of the party's sitting MPs - meaning she is almost certain to make into Parliament after September's election.
Verrall was vocal in her criticism of the government's contact tracing programme before being brought in by the Ministry of Health to review its work. Later, she said the contact tracing system had improved.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there was no conflict of interest.
Wow. Just wow.
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Labour Party president Claire Szabo told Morning Report all the work Verrall had done independently of the government was "neutral" and that her candidate application was put in after that.
Doesn't look at all like corruption - just a set of coincidences.
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Doesn't look great, but it happens often enough that we have legislation for public servants standing for elected office. The health report about changes to the system such as reforming and reducing DHBs was written by Heather Simpson, the former chief of staff for Helen Clark.
Also, if a government department doesn't agree with a report, it will write a reply, which didn't happen here (and leak/release it if annoyed enough) i.e. it was reviewed by experts who didn't disagree with it.
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@Godder said in NZ Politics:
Doesn't look great, but it happens often enough that we have legislation for public servants standing for elected office. The health report about changes to the system such as reforming and reducing DHBs was written by Heather Simpson, the former chief of staff for Helen Clark.
Also, if a government department doesn't agree with a report, it will write a reply, which didn't happen here (and leak/release it if annoyed enough) i.e. it was reviewed by experts who didn't disagree with it.
Or they sit on it for a number of weeks and then dump it with other items on a Friday to try and hide it. Such a transparent government....
It may be common, doesn’t make it any less corrupt. Gross.
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@Godder said in NZ Politics:
Doesn't look great, but it happens often enough that we have legislation for public servants standing for elected office. The health report about changes to the system such as reforming and reducing DHBs was written by Heather Simpson, the former chief of staff for Helen Clark.
The same H2 of course, who is also a special advisor to Ardern.
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I heard the interview. Claire Szabo has joined the (long) list of Labour members who are seemingly out of her depth.
Given NZ's size there are always going to be situations like this but Szabo was repeatedly questioned about Verrall talking to the media about how great the government's pandemic response had been after she put her name forward for the party list. She floundered. Basically said she wouldn't know if that had occurred but thought there would be no issues. Interviewer told her that it had happened because she interviewed Verrall herself three days after the application. Szabo crashed and burned.
The issue is Verrall's not the Labour Party's. She should have declined to be interviewed (as Matthew Hootton did once he started giving input into Mullers leadership bid). I'm certain it's naivety rather than anything sinister but it's yet another own goal from Labour.
It won't damage them and Nats are just as accident prone but does no one in NZ politics have any common sense?
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this is prior to this weeks clusterfuck
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@taniwharugby I'd rather see the poll asking 'is there anyone in NZ politics you trust right now?' And options that included 'no, they are all a bunch of fucking muppets'
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@Mokey said in NZ Politics:
@taniwharugby I'd rather see the poll asking 'is there anyone in NZ politics you trust right now?' And options that included 'no, they are all a bunch of fucking muppets'
I thought that was a requirement to be a politician?
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What a surprise!
Good thing Aucklanders are paying the extra fuel tax for all that rail they're going to definitely get.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12342556
NZ Politics