$425,000 for scapegoat

Written By: - Date published: 5:51 pm, March 5th, 2013 - 18 comments
Categories: education, Hekia parata - Tags: ,

That’s how much we’re paying for Lesley Longstone‘s being forced to resign on 19 December last year, hidden in the Christmas rush.

At the time Hekia couldn’t comment because she was going on holiday, was on holiday, was just back from holiday, was busy with Christchurch f%#k-ups, was busy with Novopay f%#k-ups… now she can’t comment because it is an operational matter…

I’d like her to comment because it IS an operational matter – ie how much of a Mickey Mouse operation she is running.

Her being forced to leave asks (yet more) questions about Parata’s competency.  She was brought over from Britain at great expense 13 months before to usher in charter schools because of her experience in the British equivalent.  That Parata brought someone over who she couldn’t work with and/or wasn’t able to do the job is a mark purely against her.

As ever we have Parata hidden from the public eye, shielded from or refusing to answer questions.

Education as a portfolio is vital, not just as a huge chunk of the government budget, but as governing the future of our kids, and hence our country.

So when did a Minister of Education being unaccountable to the public become acceptable?

18 comments on “$425,000 for scapegoat ”

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  1. andy (the other one) 1
    5 March 2013 at 6:03 pm

    That Parata brought someone over who she couldn’t work with and/or wasn’t able to do the job is a mark purely against her.

    Tolley was minister up to 11th Dec 2011, so would have had a hand in the hire not Hekia Disaster. Longstone was appointed November 2011.

    Tolley would have been directed on this hire, but by whom?

    • pollywog 1.1
      5 March 2013 at 6:08 pm

      General Rumblefuck Joyce or Major Stumblefuck Key is my guess.

      • Puddleglum 1.1.1
        5 March 2013 at 8:40 pm

        General and Major.

        HQ for one (strategy), the Parade Ground (fancy uniforms, music and marching) for the other. (Or perhaps that’s Sergeant Major?)

        I think that gets the roles (and seniority) about right in this political double act.

        • Rupert the Beer 1.1.1.1
          5 March 2013 at 8:59 pm

          Ministers don’t have a hand in hiring Ministry CEs, do they? I thought that was what the State Services Commission did…

          • Arfamo 1.1.1.1.1
            5 March 2013 at 9:05 pm

            That’s the theory. I don’t think Ministers have a hand in hiring CEO’s. Quite a few have had a hand in firing them as I recall, including under Labour. The SSC usually finds a basis for “independently” firing them once the Minister’s views are known.

        • CnrJoe 1.1.1.2
          6 March 2013 at 8:41 am

          so tolley and parata are punching bags?

  2. Kaplan 2
    5 March 2013 at 6:38 pm

    If only this were half as serious as the issue that had the media chasing Chris Carter round parliament….
    Public accountability, it’s all about perceptions I guess.

    • North 2.1
      5 March 2013 at 7:29 pm

      Yeah, a hundred bucks worth of bereavement flowers ordered by his staff and the “giants” of NZ media acted like rabid dogs. Hounded the man and gloated. Look at us sheeple……..how clever we are. Graft uncovered. Blood on the floor Oh Yay !

      $425 grand of public money to keep the cocktail-party grimace on the face of the supremely incompetent Hek Yeah Parasite. And what’s the bet the none-too-bright ponces, the cheap-suited, zero-style yuppies of “the Meedya”, will “analyse” it all according to how brightly The Parasaite continues to smile ? While poor kids live shit lives.

      Fucking Disgrace ! A pox on the vile “me-me-me-ness” of you all ! As incompetent as the Parasite !

      • Colonial Viper 2.1.1
        5 March 2013 at 9:17 pm

        Yeah the NZ media are shit and serve only themselves and their moneyed masters.

  3. Anne 3
    5 March 2013 at 7:35 pm

    Yes, it’s my recollection that Anne Tolley set the wheels in motion re-Lesley Longstone not Hekia Parata. Probably doesn’t matter who it was because they were only doing the bidding of… Steven Joyce?

    One interesting aspect:

    States Services Commissioner, Iain Rennie appears to have waited until parliament went into recess before revealing the details. That suggests to me the politicising of the public service has now reached the top level.

    • tc 3.1
      5 March 2013 at 8:42 pm

      ‘States Services Commissioner, Iain Rennie appears to have waited until parliament went into recess before revealing the details. That suggests to me the politicising of the public service has now reached the top level.’

      You don’t get to keep the gig unless you play the NACT way.

      Can’t wait to see what opposition spokesperson makes of this in the absence of the MSM nat fanboys….step right up Hipkins if trev’s given you permission that is.

      • Anne 3.1.1
        5 March 2013 at 9:32 pm

        Chris Hipkins has been given credit for getting in some good hits lately and it’s true, he has…

        But you would have to be brain dead not to get some hits in the Education portfolio at this point in time.

      • Arfamo 3.1.2
        5 March 2013 at 10:25 pm

        The politicising of the Public Service commenced under the Lange Douglas administration, was completed under the Bolger administration, and has continued to run in the background ever since, but for the most part there is no problem with CEO’s these days doing what they are told. Think back though. A problematic CEO has been easy to remove for whichever government has been in power for the last two decades at least. IMO the SSC maintains the fiction of independence by conducting enquiries into whatever issue has embarrassed the Govt and then negotiating how much it will cost when Ministers say they can’t work with the CEO and they have to go. CEOs who resign never go public with tell-all books or interviews afterwards. That’s why the severance packages are so big.

  4. RedBaronCv 4
    5 March 2013 at 8:59 pm

    Perhaps the 90 day fire at will period should be 900 days for top management.

  5. georgecom 5
    5 March 2013 at 9:13 pm

    Why won’t Parata front?

    A Minister who destroyed her credibility in 12 months.

    Key et al try to keep her in the shadows.

    As yet another bad news story breaks the Minister is no where to be seen.

    If she fronts she will have to answer questions and risk causing likely more damage.

    Not fronting at all further damages her position and her Govts track record on education.

    Either way, whilst the bad news stories remain, Parata is a poison chalice for Keys Govt.

    She is suffering now for the months of botch ups and bungles in 2012.

    Key could of course pull the plug and sack her. But, he would have to sack some of his ego and reputation as well, given that Parata was ‘his girl’.

    Key, Parata etc just have to wear the fall out, they have no other choice. The govt is a lame duck with education now. They have already lost the public debate on any contestable education matter for the next 18 months.

    For only the second time in its 1.5 terms in office, the first being the ACT-Dot Com-Banks issue that straddled elections, the Key Govt is totally spent credibility wise (meaning without being able to mount any public counter argument regardless of how much it is spun). It is to my knowledge the first portfolio area the Key Govt is totally spent credibility wise.

    Parata did all of that within a little over a year.

  6. Craig Glen viper 6
    5 March 2013 at 9:15 pm

    More Corporate welfare!

  7. North 7
    5 March 2013 at 9:40 pm

    If I was Key I’d return from South America with some kitschy, bogus certificate conferring an honorary doctorate, lavishly inscribed “Hekia Parata – Wonder Communicator”.

    Then I’d call the gushing clown into my presence and say –

    “You are in Guatemala now, Dr Parata”. Problem solved.

    Imagine it – first class all the way – unlimited bludging – Oh the joy !

  8. Draco T Bastard 8
    5 March 2013 at 10:44 pm

    So when did a Minister of Education being unaccountable to the public become acceptable?

    It didn’t but it’s perfectly acceptable to National. After all, if National were held accountable then there’s no way that they could sell out NZ.

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