National has had a good run convincing Kiwis that it is an “open and transparent” government where “sunlight is the best disinfectant” etc etc.
It’s a tremendous bit of spin. The reality is somewhat different.
For the past 20 months, John Key’s ministers have acted in concert to block access to public information though the Official Information Act and written parliamentary questions. They’ve ducked and dived like sports cheats. It is not just the Opposition that has been thwarted. There is some excellent analysis on No Right Turn about National’s cheating.
Journos too have told me they are getting increasingly frustrated by National’s trickery.
In this context, I’m treating as a win for open government Employment Minister Paula Bennett‘s reaction this week to my media statement of a fortnight ago criticising her for burying bad news.
To recap, she was pinged for sneakily trying to hide bad unemployment data as the economy has slowed. As the jobs news got worse each month, the length of time before she would allow official data to go the Parliamentary Library got longer.
So I am pleased that she has been shamed, at least for now, into ending her dodgy practice. This week, on the same day as issuing her dishonest statement on benefit numbers for August (she said 6000 had come off main benefits – what she didn’t say was the situation had actually worsened again, with more than 8,800 people going on to main benefits over the same month), she quietly released to the Library the full summary of benefit stats for the month. You can see why she’s so shy, it’s pretty grim reading.
I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but whatever next? National Party ministers dispensing with their haughty contempt of the OIA and WPQs?
Good on you for telling us this Annette
I bet the media feel betrayed, manipulated and lied to? Nah, those pro-Tory good news stories write themselves. Besides, they all like Paula, she’s such a Westie and such fun. So what if she cooks the books.
I think it’s funny that when Labour was in office Kiwiblog’s posters were always moaning about the left leaning media and now the Nats are in office Red Alert and The Standard’s posters are moaning about the right leaning media…
Keep up the pressure on these Ministers and Members, nothing pisses me of more than politicians who don’t think I have the right to information regarding the public sector, such as today – Wayne Mapp refusing to comment on whether an Army Officer lied on his CV… Why would I want (or have a right) to know about whether my country is adequately secured and defended..?
I think on the OIA Labour should look to make changes so it:
- Includes ALL of Parliament by changing the Act so it is similar to the Local Government version
- Reduce the number and scope of exemptions
- Put the following information online; the request (not the requester), the date lodged, the Minister responsible, the resulting information released, the date released
If Labour isn’t willing to do something along these lines (and lets face it – 9 years to do so) than talking about it is hot air…
On a wider note if Labour is serious about increasing transparency and accountability I think we need the following three things:
- Binding referendums, the Swiss have two types that we should shamelessly copy; (1) 50,000 signatures collected (ours is 300,000 when we have half the population for a non-binding referendum) triggers a binding referendum and (2) if a law is passed by Parliament and 50,000 signatures are collected in opposition a binding referendum is held on that law, these should have a MoF veto for Budgetary reasons and an AG veto for BORA reasons, that’s democracy
- An NZ head of State (accountability starts at the top)
- A formal constitution that allows the Judiciary to overturn Government legislation that breaches our rights
I don’t expect Labour or the Nats to do any of this because neither of you are truly interested in accountability or transparency, only talking about it when in opposition, Government is time to force things through…
Don’t need a new head of state just need a Cabinet willing to release the majority of their papers within a month or six.
Battling through a brand new constitution – it may be needed but perhaps major improvements to openness and transparency can be made today? The OpenLabour initiative for instance.
Binding referenda an intriguing idea NZ should definitely examine more closely.
That would get people much more involved in the processes of democracy – a very good thing.
‘- An NZ head of State (accountability starts at the top)
- A formal constitution that allows the Judiciary to overturn Government legislation that breaches our rights’
Agreed. Allowing some party or group within the country to overrule the government on the grounds that they are breaching democratic rights would be the best way to ensure things like transparency and accountability. We are already rated the least corrupt country in the world by Transparency international, we can go further by securing and protecting that status. Personally I would give these kinds of powers to a NZ head of state (Maori king would be nice) and the legal sector with a constitution, like you say.
@Loota ‘Don’t need a new head of state just need a Cabinet willing to release the majority of their papers within a month or six.’ Yeah that’s obvious, the question is how do you ensure that.
I hear that fact a lot but as I understand it the results are based on citizens responses, so are we the least corrupt or do we just think we are..?
We have a big problem with; Local Government conflicts of interest, a Central Government with too much power (and a tendency for over-reacting to current issues with draconian legislation), white collar crime, discriminate sentences, etc…
Nevermind the blowhards Annette, you should post more often!
@Jeremy that’s true, the corruption index is just based on peoples perceptions.
But think about it, remember how much media coverage was given on what our politicians were spending taxpayers money on? And when politicians do try and hide things from the public, well This ^^^ (the story of the post) happens, they get harassed until they have to release it.
But yeah that could just be my perception, the thing about corruption is that it’s hidden from the public so it’s impossible to measure. Who knows.
Need a ’sunset clause’ on secrecy of Cabinet minutes, papers, etc: x month limit, eg x = 3 months.
Btw, Annette: good blog and looking forward to more.
I don’t hold a candle for National or Labour but Paula Bennett has been releasing benefit figures far more frequently than Labour ever did. Under Maharey, then Benson-Pope and finally Ruth Dyson the quarterly factsheets were the primary source of data.
@ Lindsay: Hello, the figures were way down near the end of that Labour led administration, no need for desperado tactics like Ms Bennett employs. It is the underlying joblessness that counts, not the manner of reporting.
True Wheel, Only the unemployment benefit numbers were “way down”. Labour did a good job in that area but allowed far too many people onto other benefits which is where the long term dependence develops. High numbers on DPB and invalid’s benefit are a bigger social and financial problems than high numbers on the unemployment benefit which tend to drop quickly with economic recovery. But I agree with you that Annette should post more often. It would be interesting to know more about Labour’s welfare policies.
It was my understanding that numbers dropped across ALL benefits not just unemployment benefit! Labour did that
Spud
First number is 1999; second is 2008
UB 165,722 32,683
SB 33,022 46,710
IB 51,173 85,197
DPB 109,516 97,157
http://www.msd.govt.nz/about-msd-and-our-work/publications-resources/statistics/statistical-report/statistical-report-2008/multiple-sections/trends-since-1940.html#table81
There does seem to be a developing pattern of obstruction of information flow by this government, a tactic?
I’m not a fan of referendums because, understandably, they are lobby group driven and we tend to end up with truckloads of myth and misinformation which is not the basis for good decision-making
Yes it does seem to be Tracey.
So more and more people are living below the poverty line. This explains the sombre mood and all of the shops that lay abandoned and empty. Hmmm. Who knew this is the reason.
Really it was getting harder and harder to hide. I think if she tried to deny this was happening any longer she would have ended up looking like a complete moron. How she got away with hiding this information for so long is a mystery to me.
As for taking training opps away from people on the benefit, these figures will stay this way for some time. Even if someone gets a job on min wage they will need a top up in the form of Accom sub etc and struggle with no security most likely coming on and off the benefit for a long time.
But then maybe she expects people (like solo mothers) to find work where they can take their kids like Paula Bennett did when working in a rest home on night shift. Not many jobs like that around that will allow you to take your children while you work different shifts.
More and more holding their breath at the check-out hoping that they have money in there.
@ A mother
Your right, no jobs allow you to bring your kids to work unless you very lucky and have a sympathetic boss (Might I add some places are run by managers, and managers are never sympathetic)
Bleepin crooked Bennett!
Bashing solo mothers! 
@JMH & Tracey: The same kind of referendum system that barred Swiss women from voting until 1971?
Paula Bennett could though. I don’t begrudge any solo mother that finds luck like that (child slept in spare bed in rest home) but don’t like what she is saying now more or less if she could work and raise a child, anyone can.
Paula Bennett was lucky in that respect.
Have news article somewhere were it states that, think it was from when she was annonuced as minister.
Found the article A mother.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10544395
She also claimed while she was working full-time she felt exhausted and had to go back on the DPB. She was off and on the benefit a few times.
She also stated that sometimes she wasn’t better off financially, while working.
When she become a recruitment consultant, she often felt she let her child down due to working so much.
Quote: “To give that (benefit) up and go into a job that you are not sure you are worthy of having, because quite frankly who wants to employ you, for something that may or may not work out….”.
Deep Red, dont get me started on Switzerland, or Kuwait (who we all defended from evil but who hadnt even given women the vote! nd Saudi Arabia…
Paula is in the right party, say whatever it takes to get elected, then do what you always wanted
“At 19, still on the domestic purposes benefit, she bought her own house in Taupo for $56,000 with a Housing Corporation loan.”
For the record, doesnt this mean we bought paula a house? Cos on the DPB arent you repaying the mortgage from, well, your DPB?
Yep and that is fine. I think she took every opp offered to her and that is great!
Taking those opps away from others is what I don’t like.
Yes I suppose that NZ did buy her a house.
Thanks for finding the article Marie.
A mother, PB seems to have selective memory, she says she can relate to solo mums but has forgotten her on again off again dpb times, her help with childcare and so on.
I dont think it’s fine. The DPB is to help people get by, surely not to buy them a home? Many folks working jobs and caring for kids cant afford a home, so why PB on a benefit?
Yeah PB had it pretty good alright: A housing loan, the TIA, possibly cheaper childcare, a babysitter while she worked (which was probably free), cheaper food, a job in which she could bring her kid, also the DPB back then was closer to the average wage.
What cracks me up is how she mentioned that she had left her child down due to working, her child must of been about 12 years old at the time! – but yet she wants solo mums to work when their oldest is 6 years old, or they may face the old chop-a-roo, AKA benefit halved then suspended.
As many people are well aware there’s not many jobs that require you to work in school hours without weekends, this is a case of a needle in the haystack, the reality is the only choice is full-time work.
PB: A walking, talking contradiction perhaps?
standard practice for a mediocre person who has been promoted past their level of competence is to pull the ladder up after themselves so as to make it difficult, or impossible for a more suitable replacement to supplant them.
paula bennett is, in my view simply exhibiting an extreme form of this symptom. the fact that she is acting out her insecurities upon thousands of men,women,and children instead of the people around her suggests that she could qualify for psychiatric counseling.
no doubt, (stanley) key has recognized this weakness and is taking full advantage to use her as cannon fodder in the undeclared, as yet, class war national are running.. shades of jenny shipley here..(as health minister)
Ironic that for some like Key and Bennett the welfare state (or what was left of it with Bennett) helped the out when they needed it most and it gave them an opportunity to get ahead, now they want to dismantle such a system.
Just so they can give nationals rich mates a bigger tax cut.
The old system took the country to the edge of bankrupcy… It’s important to keep that in mind when talking about the welfare enjoyed by middle aged and elderly NZers in yesteryear…
TIA ended up paying for itself. It wasn’t a hand out. People that completed study using TIA, are far less likely to go back on welfare, which cost the country more in the long run. Not only in welfare payouts, but trying to recruit from overseas, plus the people on the DPB quite often cannot just leave the country, quite often the area as deemed better by courts that they have access to both parents. This means that they cannot just take their knowledge gained overseas.
for a little bit of money it benefits not only adults but the children. Canning the TIA made no sense. Could be off the benefit in 3 years but now it will be 6 with part time study. That costs the govt more in the long run.
Being a solo mother is a full time job!
I mean coupled mothers find it hard enough, Bennett should just butt out and let the solo mothers make their own decisions! 
It’s not fair on you A Mother
!
Stop making sense A Mother, and stop confusing populist political decisions with things that will actually work in practice (hugs)
I will try my hardest not to make sense Tracey.
But really, $9,000 over 3years (think it was 3000 max a year but had to work hard to prove you needed it and hardly anyone used the full amount)
compared to $50,385 which is what the extra three years on the DPB is costing since can only go part time. (that is just the DPB and not Accom, WFF etc added on)
It would actually safe the govt $41,385, and I couldn’t leave the country and have to work here!!! (Due to wouldn’t leave without my children which the courts would prob make me do if I did try)
I try not to be sensible but really?
I just cannot make an unsensible comment when it really is so black and white.
@Jeremy M Harris
I thought what brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy was trying to keep the dollar alive, that cost $600million and that was in 1984 dollars! Speculation can cause alot of damage… or was it muldoon and national that caused alot of damage? Also the pension peg at 80% of the avg wage didn’t help either (also a national idea as well)
and that is using the gross payment and not the net payment of the DPB.
That is just the financial cost of canning the TIA per person that wanted training over level 4, not including the things that I have stated above etc.
The human cost of having parents working on min wage and struggling to survive etc in the long term due to not being able to study at all (I can study part time taking 6 years and not 3 which is what the financial caculation is based on) is one you cannot even measure.
Banana republic politics A Mother
Yes indeed Spud.
Goodnight
it’s what happens when policy bears no resemblance to anything other than pandering to the ignorance of a section of the voting public, and making them think they are enlightened rather than ignorant
Oh What a wonderful world we have under Nats. In Northland last month nearly 4000 unemployed. Only 200+ jobs available.
What’s Maori Party doing about this? What have they done to even start look at addressing this issue”
NOTHING.
What has Nats done to address this issue? Lots but nothing that works or is positive. They continue to blame those out of work for being in that predicament, and make it harder for them to get real help….. Wonderful world where we care about each other isn’t it!!!!!
And will it get better.
Tax cuts for the rich were supposed to fix all this.
No it wasn’t, what took us to the edge of bankrupcy to quote a Labour Prime Minister was, “running the country like a Polish shipyard”…
You won’t find me defending Muldoon – our worst PM ever…
Yes Pat Newman!! Im one of the unfortunate souls that is trying to find work in Northland.
There are 200 qualified people applying for one job, it’s really devastating-!!
I think Labour MPs arrived here not the long ago to check the economy out etc..
Not sure what is being done – but at least there is some concern there.
Businesses are struggling, some employees haven’t had pay rises in years and rates are set to rise, causing business to struggle even further.
A Mother, yes I agree the TIA would of payed for itself for sure, it could of just been used for childcare at least – which goes straight into the ECE center.
Apparently the TIA cut has also affected the roll at some ECE centers, which in turn drives up prices and/or employ less staff.
I think if National were really serious about getting people back into work, it’s quite obvious really – affordable training in skill shortage areas and perhaps taking note of how Sweden has a very high population of working single parents and like them – charge a small percentage of family income.
Childcare, seems to be a barrier between being qualified and employed, sure 20 hours ECE is terrific, but it’s only for 3-4 year olds, and some centers are charging for these hours now.
They’re also charging extra per hour to make up for any shortfalls, since the funding cuts, so in fact the 20 hours ECE is becoming obsolete.