For the love of Baby Jesus, can the stupid Ministry for Pacific Peoples stop giving ACT political ammunition

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
68
3140

FFS…

Lavish farewell: Ministry for Pacific Peoples spent $40,000 to farewell boss – falls foul of public service rules

A lavish event including gifts to farewell the boss at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples (MPP) last year failed to meet the “moderate and conservative” standards of the public service, a review has found.

Nor was a near-$5000 spend appropriate for a welcome event for Leauanae Laulu Mac Leauanae – including $3000 in travel costs for six members of his family – as he moved from head of MPP to the head of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage (MCH).

“This is a case of one agency getting it wrong,” Public Service Commissioner Peter Hughes said today.

“Taken together, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples’ expenditure on the farewell and the welcome was an inappropriate use of taxpayers’ money. When a mistake is made, I expect public service chief executives to own it, fix it, learn from it, and to be accountable.”

…ok, let me be as clear as possible here.

I believe in the Ministry for Pacific Peoples, just as I believe in the Ministry for Youth Affairs, Ministry for Ethnic Communities, Ministry for Womens Affairs and Ministry for Māori affairs. These are important voices inside Parliament who help ensure everyones voice is considered in the decision making process.

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These are important Ministries that ensure Democracy isn’t just majoritarian thuggery and that those without power in society have voice.

It is hard however too defend them when they are fucking up like this.

1 – Why the Christ is this Wellington Bureaucrat paid $320 000 a year to start with? That is garbage!

2 – Why the Christ did they allow themselves a $40000 piss up to celebrate the $320 000 cherished Wellington Bureaucrat a cuddle with every family member and the local village roster when he left?

3 – Why are they pulling stunts like this when food inflation is 12.5%?

4 – How come no internal check or balance was alerted and it wasn’t until a complaint was made that an investigation occurred?

The worst bit of this is that ACT have been advocating dumping this Ministry as part of David Seymour’s amputation of 5 Government Ministries, the Human Rights Commission and every environmental policy passed in the last 6 years (alongside removing the gun registry) and all the Ministry for Pacific Peoples seem to be focused on doing is giving David Seymour the political ammunition to justify dumping them.

Can someone please beat the shit out of whatever clown inside the Ministry for Pacific Peoples who seem hell bent on giving David the bullets he will use to put them down!

Just bewildering incompetence from the Wellington Public Service elite gravy train and another insight into how the Professional Managerial Class hold the rest of us in contempt while they throw $40 000 parties.

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68 COMMENTS

  1. The ministry’s FTE staff number went from 34 to 128 since Labour was elected.

    That’s where the real waste of money occurred, far more money than the embarrassment of a expensive party and gifts.

    • What is the purpose of this department, and why does it need employees at all? The major dependencies are now gone (perhaps to their detriment), but in any case the Native Affairs Department was surely sufficient.

      If the government wished to abandon racialist policies and revive integrationism, one can argue that Native Affairs should also be abolished. The Maori Representation Act, which was supposed to only last five years, would also have to go. Any racially segregated offices could be replaced by reversing the abolition of the upper house, the provincial legislatures, the provincial premiers (superintendents), the pre-1989 counties and boroughs, Ancient Monuments Board, and civil parishes.

    • Yeah but what do you do with all those ‘highly qualified’ inexperienced uni kids that have no jobs to go too? You get the government departments to employ them because nobody else will. Their qualifications are useless because of the Pay-to-Play edjewkashon system! As long as you pay for it, you’ll pass!

      This is what LINO have done over their 6 long years of their reign of terror.

      LINO displace experienced staff with crappy uni kids who’ve fuck it all up!

      We’re gunna be fucked for a while NZ.

  3. This is what is wrong with NZ in a nutshell. Huge amounts of money being spent but not enough getting to the people who need it. How many poor Pacifica kids could $320,000 have helped? We have enough taxes – we just waste it on dumb shit like this and rainbow-colored speed humps. Time to change gear.

    • Jason Correct, but this is grubby little vote buying. It’s corrupt, and it’s our hard-earned money, wasted.

    • Totally agree that the $320,000 would have been much more wisely spent feeding hungry / starving kids in South Auckland schools (and not just South Auckland for that matter as there is real deprivation everywhere in NZ) and the simple truth is that just as in Zimbabwe / South Africa etc often when you give Pacific Islanders (+ Maori) large budgets to manage the ‘questionable payments to whanau’ etc quickly follow.
      I am not sure why other than it is a cultural thing but regardless it is to the detriment of society etc as a whole.

  4. This will be the tip of the iceberg.

    With the looming hard recession people will be looking at this with unmitigated anger and disgust l.

    Free hit for Act.

  6. Connecting with a culture doesn’t necessarily benefit all other New Zealanders. If Sepuloni connected with Kiwi kids as much as she does with her Tongan heritage, there would still be a Commissioner for Children. This grossly over-paid man should have provided a ‘shout’ for colleagues himself when transferring from his department, as done in other cultures, and by me. Nor did I drag in all the whanau either, not that they would have come, being sort of busy.

    • Exactly. The kiwi tradition is on your last day you shout a dozen big bottles for your work mates.

      $40,000 who do they think they are … stock brokers?

      • Yep. Not being a baker, I ordered big cakes from NWS Metro, decorated with chocolate cigarettes in friendly recognition of the camaraderie which existed among secret cigarette smokers before they were regarded as worse than mass murderers, cisgender males, biological women, or juicy steaks.

  7. I want a Ministry for Left-Handed people and a Ministry for the Bald! LOL Because where does all this shit stop?

    Islanders ARE ALREADY represented by the MPs they elect. Why can’t Anahila Kanongata’a, Neru Leavasa, Terisa Ngobi, Lemauga Lydia Sosene, Tirikatene, Tangi Utikere and Rino Tirikatene do their job and represent their people?

  8. The Act approach to Wellington bureaucracy seems to be similar to Trumps call to ‘drain the swamp’ Outside of a good slogan I don’t know if Trump had a plan or managed any drainage work.
    Seymour seems to actually have a plan and the fight between him and the mandarins lining their own pockets will be interesting.

    • The swamp is much shallower here. We don’t have the really big money hustlers and lobbyists.

      It was evident when Trump won in 2016 he faced a wall of resistance from mainstream media, the bureaucracy, the Democrat opposition and a lot of the swamp folk in his own party. His intentions were good, and he got a lot done but in the end, they dragged him down.

  9. Apparently he repaid the trips for his family but who the f thinks this is ok? It’s no different than those arsehole businesses that took covid relief money ( I wonder if any of them are ACT donors) and didn’t pay it back. Those businesses were applauded by some because of “a stupid government” completely ignoring the fact that they are arseholes with no moral compass. Either way it’s ripping of the taxpayer.

    • It’s who your mob represent Wheel.
      Don’t feign outrage at the PMC while you vote for their political wing the NZ Labour Party.

      • KCC, don’t tell me I am feigning outrage. You wouldn’t have a clue. Why do you think I am going to vote Labour.? Pointing out what a joke National are or pointing out facts like Nationals role in co governance is not a vote for Labour. I have said numerous times there’s not much difference between them.

        Let’s face it if the moon stopped orbiting the earth you would have said it was Ardern’s fault. It’s that sort delusional 1ZB rubbish that makes me post a retort.

        • Here here Wheel I will be party vote Chippy being a Hutt Valley person myself and wanting a decent leader. But my Ikaroa Rawhiti electoral vote is going to the Māori party candidate despite my father coming from Tolaga Bay our whanau all voted for Parekura but he isn’t there anymore. I can usually muster 30 whanau members who mostly vote Labour but if they don’t like Labour, I tell them to party vote Māori Party. F..k the NActs they are all about the rich.

        • Sorry yes it is clearly Nationals fault that employee numbers at the Pacific Peoples Ministry multiplied 400% on Labours watch and they are blowing cash on leaving dos.
          Just can’t help defending the indefensible can you, that’s how it’s clear you are feigning dismay.

  10. “These are important Ministries that ensure Democracy isn’t just majoritarian thuggery and that those without power in society have voice.”
    I look forward to the new ministries for poverty, cis-women, men, whites, straights, secularists…

  11. Swing the Acts…sorry I mean swing the axe! And if this Ministry gets chopped, they brought it on themselves.

  12. Elite gravy train is only for the middle management and upper management. If they were given gardening leave, no one would even notice.

  13. This ministry was corrupt as fuck (and openly racist) 5 years or so ago when my wife worked there. No big surprise.

  14. These PI communities ride off the back of Maori suffering when they haven’t experienced the same level of dispossession, they still have their own country and can speak their language and enjoy their culture to the fullest in our country.

    • Stephen Cook Islanders can come here and buy a property, but New Zealanders can’t go there and do likewise. I think the Cook Island government requires outliers seeking residence or citizenship there to have much larger capital reserves than their citizens emigrating to New Zealand are required to have by our government. Few countries set up costly ministries like some of these seem to be.

  15. Yes it’s a dumb, stupid thing to do even if the ex CEO is paying some of it back.

    But it all started decades ago when Roger Douglas and his cabal, turned government departments into pseudo private enterprises, ppe’s (which they never were, of course – he got that badly wrong, but not for his Rich White mates et al) and there began a culture in these ppe’s that it was OK, and soon became quite acceptable to behave like genuine private enterprise and splash the cash for events like a farewell for a popular CEO leaving.

    Seriously, it’s been happening to as greater or lesser degree (probably dependent on the popularity – or not – of the departing CEO or an underling executive..

    It’s not a new practice and preceded the formation of ACT, with former instigator and ACT leader (now said to be not voting for them) Cur Roger Douglas.

    How utterly ironic that the very extravagant financial practices the founder of the ACT party unwittingly encouraged, is now debunked and would-be demolished by the very same party – ACT!

    Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose!

      • Why r u surprised? He he started it but is now opting out. Bit cowardly, isn’t it? No courage of his convictions.

      • Jason just look at Douglas’s political history. He pretended to be Labour along with save the rail Prebble. He manipulated many MP ‘s in the Labour government to his way of thinking. Ruth Richardson carried the mantle and cut benefits. These cuts can be traced back to the decline in living standards of the worst off. 40 years later we see the results of these draconian measures. We had years of austerity with the so called rock star economy where nothing happened. We had a new Labour NZ first Green government who were steady for the full 3 years inspite of the doom and gloom media pessimism. This government felt the full force of covid . This government was also faced with years of neglect in health education a declining police force no wage increases , police stations were cut, road maintenance was neglected ( today’s potholes) many new roads needed fixing, the transmission gulley contract was an expensive mess . So yes Douglas and co. have a lot to answer for as much as you want to sweep his legacy under the carpet

  16. They brought it upon themselves sadly, this should never have happened.

    But the Ministry must remain – the head honcho shouldn’t be getting that ridiculous salary but all the ministries are head by people on ridiculous salaries.

    • Why must it remain. Internal affairs can take of it. It’s token crap…like Token in South Park. Pure racist token.

  17. All of these ‘ministries’ are bloated pen pushing money wasters that do little to present the ‘voices’ Martyn talks to. They at best represent the elite committe attending perspective but deliver little real results for ordinary people. Labour have grown then all with spin agents and they are a drain.

  18. What the fuck is it with this prick? Is it his pouting spout-lip? His twerking skills ( Where was a fiendish bout of the infamous Mumbai Shits for the camera when it was needed? )
    How can people be so entirely thick? seymour, is a roger-clone. What, about that amongst good people, is worthy of any kind of debate?
    I understand that the Victorians were into so pretty kinky shit but this is ridiculous. He takes flagellation to beyond the fourth dimension.
    If you like enjoying seeing pain and suffering in others then he’s your what ever the fuck it is.

    • CB – Man of Few Words.
      You always have looooooots to say, so how about unleashing on this fucking Ministry for Pacific Peoples and it’s top execs, instead of Seymour. That Ministry must go! Unless you can show us a Ministry of New Zealand Peoples in Samoa, Tonga, Cooks and Fiji. It’s a load of horseshit. Like most of your ramblings.

  19. Labour will take another hit for this whether its justified or not. Each and every incident like this chips away at Labours election victory chances and there is now no way back. The die is cast. They have become more of a toxic brand than the unappealing toxic alternative.

    • Jack They should have stuck to basics, like legislation to protect foreign sex workers. Celebrating violently silencing women. Cancelling free speech. A few secret agendas. That should have been enough to swing an election.

  20. This is just one of the many reasons to be sceptical of the “Tax the rich pricks!!!” cry we’re always hearing here. Even if the expected amounts of revenue are raised (and that’s a pretty big if) I have zero confidence that the money would be wisely spent.

  21. Martyn – This such a insult to many Pacifica People, who cannot afford the basic, and this Ministry is meant to improve their conditions…get rid of it, and give the money to Pacifica charities

  23. Axe them. I very much doubt we will miss them.

    Name one thing this Ministry has achieved.

    We have a fair cross section of ethnic minorities in parliament to represent a range of interest.

    As for the ministry of women’s affairs, who now think that a man pretending to be a woman is a women, the sooner they go the better.

    Bring it on David Seymour

  24. The Ministry of Pacific Peoples has certainly provided some ammunition to ACT for its possible demise under a future National/Act Gvt. Another Ministry under the eye for dismemberment is MBIE, ironically the super Ministry brought into being by National and Stephen Joyce. From some personal experience it has turned out, at least in some parts, to be a desk driven bureaucracy with officials having no idea how their idealistic and impractical policies will affect people at the coal face. Particularly where these policies will affect services that are provided for minority groups such as interpreting services for different ethnic groups and refugees.

  25. ” – Why are they pulling stunts like this when food inflation is 12.5% ”

    Because the self entitled don’t have to consider food inflation. Its effects don’t reach them in their warm cotton wool world.

    It makes a joke listening to Robertson insist his cabinet colleagues cut the cloth and look for savings across the board.

    Well once again its austerity which sounds better than ” class warfare ” that most people are expected to contend with when it comes to spending money where its needed Robertson always has an excuse.

    “The Government is refusing to make public a suite of taxpayer-funded privileges for the country’s judges.
    The judiciary has one of the most generous pensions in the public service, with their salaries padded by nearly 40%.

    But they’re also entitled to things like chauffeurs, housing allowances, and even subsidised school uniforms.

    The benefits are all laid out in what’s colloquially known as ‘the red book’ of judicial entitlements. The Sunday Star-Times asked for a copy – but the request was denied, with no explanation

    The French peasants got it right when they stormed the Bastille.

    http://norightturn.blogspot.com/2023/08/crown-laws-counter-productive-secrecy.html

    • Agree but some people love to be patronised it makes them feel better.
      Reality, it’s not helpful.

  28. Good! It’s a rubbish ministry established due to institutional racism of NZ governments.
    The most systemically discriminated racial groups in NZ are whites and Asians, or perhaps more broadly any not Maori or Pacific Islander.
    I hope Seymour gets exactly what he wants.

  31. Wanna know what’s really disgusting? Nor Chippie or Sepuloni have held anyone to account! Nobody gets fired.

    • ” Nor Chippie or Sepuloni have held anyone to account! Nobody gets fired ”

      Were a world leader when it comes no accountability and that’s right across the board.

      A 30 year old man can push and elderly man so hard that he broke his arm after he came to rest on the pavement.

      He was sentenced to 175 hours of community work and paying his victim restoration at $100 per week.

      Just one example of many.

  32. Yes imagine if there was no Ministry for Pacific Peoples.

    Why – it would be terrible! The only voice P.I.s would have in parliament would be their one party vote and their one electorate vote, like everybody else!

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