Comments on: Will Key ever answer questions?

By: Tigger

Tigger — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:25:48 +0000

Those critiquing questions like this are missing the context. National has been nitpicking through all manner of public spending except, it appears from the outside, their own. The issue is not just about dollars, it’s about walking the walk. National are great at telling us to cut back but less inclined to do that themselves. I mean, Bill English anyone?

By: Nathan Mills

Nathan Mills — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:12:17 +0000

I visited that site, apparently 25 pages of questions, around 15 per page. Seems to be many more than 67, and they’re predominately cut and paste questions, exactly the same, directed to each department minister.
And if the info you’re chasing is so important to you, why haven’t you raised the subject matter as the issue of your post, rather than “I asked 67 questions a week before Xmas, and noone’s answered them yet?” Why not “I believe ministers are rorting vehicle allowances/entertainment allowances etc” if that’s your mission.

Slightly ironic too that you’re asked to provide a link to your questions and fob the requester off with a “you’ll have to research it yourself” answer!

By: Chris Hipkins

Chris Hipkins — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:23:16 +0000

Dave – you’ll need to do a search on the QWA website: http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Business/QWA/

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:32:01 +0000

Chris, are the questions you asked online? If so could you post a link.

By: Winston Smith

Winston Smith — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:12:00 +0000

Mine too.

By: Dobbie

Dobbie — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:05:47 +0000

You missed the point Chris. It’s the volume of questions and the general waste of everybody’s time that’s the issue. If you were really onto something would you need 67 questions to get what you’re after? The staff are already there but they’re not there to spend time helping you score a few cheap points. Personally I think your actions are discourteous in the extreme and pretty juvenile but that’s just my opinion.

By: TopCat

TopCat — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:02:51 +0000

Chris- can someone ask the Minister for Transport
1. To detail the costings to the changes to the Waterview Road. They are claiming their version is $1.3 Bill cheaper than yours even though it is 2 lanes wider.
2. Why are they spending millions of dollars widening SH1 through Warkworth when they have just announced a new by-pass of the town.

Compared with these two, the amounts are quibbling over seem small beer.

By: Chris Hipkins

Chris Hipkins — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:56:03 +0000

@Winston Smith @Dobbie – it’s not a fishing trip, these questions relate to the expenditure of taxpayer money by ministers on themselves. Totally legit thing to be asking about. The cost of answering is actually pretty minimal, given the staff are already there (although under National they are being paid considerable more than under Labour).

@Gosman – have a look at the questions I’ve put forward and you will find that they are in fact very simple and straight forward. Remember that Lockwood Smith keeps telling the Opposition that if they ask a straight question we should expect a straight answer – seems not!

By: George

George — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:42:40 +0000

Then there were all those pointless and futile amendments to some bill as well (I forget now which bill it was) which resulted in the house having to sit into the weekend.

It might have given Labour and its supporters a warm feeling, but it was a very bad look as far as the general public was concerned.

Coming so soon on the heels of overpaying massively for NZ Rail it gave many people the impression that Labour couldn’t give a stuff about taxpayers’ money. You can generate this sort of image very quickly and then spend years trying to recover from it.

But if it make the party faithful happy, then what the hell? It’s all a game anyway, isn’t it?

By: James Liddell

James Liddell — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:02:32 +0000

slightlyrighty said “enquiries to Parliamentary Services under the OIA would get you the answers you seek”

No they wouldn’t.

1. Parliamentary Services is not subject to the OIA.
2. Parliamentary Services does not deal with any of those issues. They’re all Ministerial Services issues. John Key is the Minister responsible for Ministerial Services.

Chris is entitled to ask questions of those nature; it’s the role of the opposition and that’s what the WPQ process is designed for.