Ministerial Confidence??

WB suggests that John Key asks the following question to Helen Clark tomorrow; "Does she have confidence in the Minister of Foreign Affairs; if so, why?" the answer will be as we know "because he is a hard working etc etc Minister"

The supplementary question then is "Could the Prime Minister explain why swirling allegations surrounding Dover Samuels were sufficient for her to sack her Minister of Maori Affairs however swirling allegations surrounding her Minister of Foreign Affairs are not deemed to be as important, or is it that the difference is between the two is that the baubles of office are more important?

A Pub Crawl By Any Other Name

The Maori Side Tour is the brainchild of TV presenter and musician, Kimo Winiata according to his own press release of 18 August, http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0808/S00309.htm

Apparently “The Maori Side Tour aims to encourage our youth to take an active role in the political future of Aotearoa” according to Winiata

Watching Brief wonders if the Maori Side Tour is not in fact the Brown Faces Pub Crawl (WB considers if it's acceptable to call European New Zealanders “Pakeha” it is also acceptable to call Maori “Brown Faces”) given that the venues are: Hamilton The Altitude Bar, followed by Rotorua at the Lake House Hotel, then the Carlton Bar at Newmarket in Auckland, then Whangarei at the Onerahi Tavern, then Latitude Live at Napier with apparently a finale at the Loaded Hog in Levin.

WB also observes that Winiata is “looking to team up with the electoral commission to help target Māori Youth throughout the tour - to get 18-25 years olds in particular onto the roll, so that we could finally see the balance of power shift in parliament towards Māori interests”

WB hopes that the supposedly non partisan NZ Electoral Commission will not be committing tax payer dollars to such a partisan undertaking

Clear the Decks of Political Appointments

Fran O’Sullivan writes in the NZ Herald today (http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10527921)

about the appointment of political cronies to government controlled entities she says that an incoming National Government will not be able to re balance appointments “until the next rollover period for SOE and crown company directorships in April 2009. Some 80-100 of these directorships become available each year. The real problem will be down at pygmy level: The myriad smaller jobs (some 140 in five weeks) into which Labour has stacked party favourites. This is where the pressure should go - unfortunately the rollover times will be years away.”

Watching Brief is of the view that National should pass legislation as soon as possible after the election that terminates without compensation all political appointments to government entities that were made in the previous Government’s term of office upon the appointee receiving a months notice from the appropriate Minister. This will enable any future incoming Government to “clear the decks” particularly of those overt political appointments such as Mike Williams and Dianne Yates.

Storming (or is it profaining) Norman

In a Press Release on Tuesday, 12 August 2008, Russel Norman said “Otago Regional Council must stop protecting names of persistent polluters if it is serious about the problem of worsening river quality in the region.

Watching Brief wonders if the Otago Regional Council should take any account of a an Australian who is one of the worst polluters of the English Language given Norman’s comment "Well, you can stick it up your arse, Stephen." (http://www.stuff.co.nz/4652084a6160.html)

Volunteers and the (Dyson) Example

Minister for Community and Voluntary Sector, the Hon Ruth Dyson said in a Press Release dated Tuesday, 12 August 2008 'New research revealing that volunteers make up an impressive two-thirds of the workforce in the non-profit sector"

Watching Brief would say to Dyson please do not belittle those of us who actually work in the voluntary sector by trying to take the credit for the people that put in the time. If one could count the number of hours we in the voluntary sector have to put in filling in interminable forms and the rest of the PC Bullshit that goes with it its a wonder why any of us really bother

So spare me the faint praise, I don't need any platitudes from a convicted criminal.

A problem with Windows Explorer

Watching Brief suggest readers use Firefox http://watchingbrief.blogspot.com/ as IE is unable to give you my latest blogs

Tax Payers' milk and suckling by the left

Associate Health Ministers Damien O’Connor and Steve Chadwick last Friday gave their support to promote the breastfeeding ‘Big Latch On’ event, which aims to break the record for simultaneous breastfeeding and marks the beginning of World Breastfeeding Week.

Watching Brief has no doubt that O’Conner and Chadwick are enthusiastic about “latching on” after all their Party and fellow cohorts are the biggest suckers of the tax payers’ tit since records began.

Keeping up with the Jones'

On the 2nd of July Shane Jones issued a press release saying “Today's inaugural building forum in Auckland - " Leading for the Future" - has laid down the foundations for the long-term future of the industry”

He concluded by stating "We are searching for a coherent blue print for the future of Building and Construction Industry and today's forum had let us put down the foundations for that roadmap,"

Watching Brief wonders how many more clichés Jones could utter, mind you, it is difficult to understand how any member of Jones’ Party could be described as being “coherent”.

Watching Brief, if a press release was called for, would have said to the Building and Construction Industry "Forget about buzz words my policy is very simple “build it and they will come”, you are the risk takers so long as your project is properly thought out and constructed, then do it”