About Karen Chhour’s future
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11:06 am, August 3rd, 2024 - 27 comments
Categories: act, crime, Maori Issues, maori party, Parliament, political parties, Social issues, uncategorized -
Tags: karen chhour
Act minister Karen Chhour has recently adopted the mantle of victimhood and claimed that she has been under attack and feels unsafe in Parliament.
From Radio New Zealand:
“It no longer feels like I can walk [Parliament’s] corridors without fear of personal attacks from either other members around the House or even from outside the House as well,” Chhour said.
“It just feels like this environment is so toxic. How can we actually do our job? How can we actually do what we need to do in this place if we fear what we say is going to cause that kind of retaliation and it’s not going to be called out?”
She is apparently referring to Te Paati Māori MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi who in the House in May of this year referred to her as a puppet.
During a debate Kapa-Kingi said this:
“E te Minita, ka aroha ki a koe kua karetaohia e tō pāti. Kia kaha rā”
[To the Minister, how sad that you have been made a puppet by your party. Be strong.]
If this caused Chhour angst then perhaps politics is not for her. Because being described as a puppet is on the scale of things a pretty controlled insult. Far worse is said in Parliamentary debates.
At a personal level I have sympathy for Chhour. Workers should not be subject pressure or bullying or personal attacks.
But she is no ordinary worker. She is a highly paid politician who is primarily responsible for getting through some really regressive policies.
And she shows no particular skills. She seems to have been picked for her job because of her back story and not for her abilities. She is someone who had a difficult childhood and some exposure to the workings of Oranga Tamariki many many years ago when it was called Child Youth and Family.
She is now at the sharp edge of decision making about how the modern system, which is considerably different to the system that she was exposed to, will operate in the future.
Can I say this as delicately as possible but her long term campaign against section 7AA is completely, completely misguided. Contrary to her and her party’s assertion this section does not require Māori kids to be taken away from well intentioned Pakeha couples. It requires Oranga Tamariki to engage properly with Iwi Authorities and to have a proper plan for dealing with Māori kids in trouble. Given that most kids in care are Māori and that historical approaches have not worked and that Iwi Authorities have been doing outstanding work the Minister’s stance is retrograde.
Her solution has attracted negative comments from radical left wing organisations like the New Zealand Law Society. In its submission it said:
The New Zealand Law Society does not agree that repeal of section 7AA will improve the well-being and best interests of children and young people. Nor will it address any perceived undermining of welfare and best interests due to cultural considerations. There is no evidence that section 7AA is responsible for undermining the safety of children.
Or how about this:
The Cabinet Paper concludes that section 7AA creates a conflict for Oranga Tamariki when making decisions in the best interests of the child or young person. In our view, there is no evidence to support this proposition. Section 4A makes it clear that in all matters relating to the administration or application of the Act the well-being and best interests of the child or young person are the first and paramount consideration, having regard to the principles set out in sections 5 and 13. It is clear from these sections that Oranga Tamariki has a duty to ensure the safety of children and young people and that this duty is not overridden by the requirements in section 7AA.
And there is also this:
In the Cabinet Paper, the Minister states that section 7AA has ‘negatively impacted on caregivers’, and that ‘some caregivers have suggested that section 7AA has resulted in a requirement for culturally appropriate environments, which is valued more that children’s welfare.’ The Law Society is not aware of evidence to support the notion that there have been a significant number of removals of children from caregivers because the caregivers were “deemed to be the wrong ethnicity”.
The best resourced most capable and best qualified union to talk about legal matters has spoken. There is no justification for the repeal of section 7AA.
The Waitangi Tribunal formed the same opinion and wanted to talk to Chhour to ask her for her justification and she refused to do so.
In a carefully worded interim decision concerning the repeal of section 7AA the Tribunal raised three matters:
First, we are concerned that the government’s singular focus on implementation of a commitment made in one of the coalition agreements has caused it to disregard its obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi, and this needs to be corrected before proceeding further. The second is a concern that this rushed repeal of section 7AA will cause actual harm. The third is to draw to the government’s attention a more principled way forward, already available under the Act. This is the periodic review of the legislation and policy provided for in section 448B of the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989.
Even the regulatory impact statement attached to the bill concedes “[t]here is no empirical evidence to support the notion that section 7AA has driven practice decisions that have led to changing care arrangements”.
And the last time Chhour tried to get section 7AA repealed this time through a private member’s bill 12 months ago National MP Tama Potaka said “[i]t would be contradictory of us to dismiss this provision entirely, which is intended to be a genuine option to address and meet the best interests of the child in State care”. He said that National would amend rather than repeal the section.
Clearly Chhour is under some distress. Her recent interview with Tova O’Brien did not go well. And she expressed some emotion in complaining about people claiming she is not Māori enough and is not the right sort of traumatised person. She is right. Those sorts of criticisms are disrespectful and unhelpful.
But here is the thing. What she and this Government are changing will directly affect many, many people. Kids will be thrown into boot camps when there are much better options. Social workers and caregivers and the recipients of their aroha are being directly affected by this Government’s decision to cut their funding. And Iwi authorities’ mana will be lessened and marginalised when they present the best option we have to do something meaningful for Māori kids in trouble.
And she is part of a Government that has marginalized Te Reo and Te Ao Māori. And her party wants to foist on us a crap referendum based on a bullshit interpretation of Te Tiriti that will divide the country and set race relations back decades for kicks and political advantage. Please understand my complete lack of sympathy for her plight.
She may disagree and think that her proposal is best, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary. She may get upset that large sectors of the community disagree with her. She may be incensed that someone called her a puppet.
But her job is really important. If she cannot listen to the criticism, weigh up the evidence and come up with what is best for us all and instead get upset because people are getting fed up with her then she needs to think about a different job.
And coming from a member of the Act Party is a bit rich. This is the party which demanded an urgent debate on the day that Kiri Allan crashed. It is part of a movement that hounded Jacinda Ardern from the Prime Minister’s position, that attacked Nanaia Mahuta mercilessly, that reduced Clare Curran to tears in the house, and that piled the pressure onto Golriz Ghahrahman until she cracked.
Let Parliament be a respectful place where MPs are courteous to each other, where law changes are considered seriously and where decisions are based on a proper analysis of the evidence and where everyone works for the common good. We do not have that right now. We have a far right party damaging our legal system based on hunches, ill informed reckons and the desire to create chaos for political advantage.
No wonder people are angry.
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- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...1 day ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...1 day ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...2 days ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...2 days ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...3 days ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...3 days ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...3 days ago
- Greens call on Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned after letter from Christian leaders
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...4 days ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...5 days ago
- Vast majority of councils support Māori wards
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...6 days ago
- Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...6 days ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...1 week ago
- Green Party welcomes new Maaori Kuiini
The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...1 week ago
- ECE teachers deserve better than this Government
The Green Party is unsurprised but disappointed by today’s announcement from the Government that will see our Early Childhood Centre teachers undermined and pay parity pushed further out of reach. ...1 week ago
- Urgent intervention needed on supermarkets
The Green Party is calling on the Government to intervene in the supermarket duopoly dominating our supply of groceries following today’s report from the Commerce Commission. ...1 week ago
- Release: Rainbow youth neglected in mental health funding
Labour backs the call from The Rainbow Support Collective members for mental health funding specifically earmarked for grassroots and peer led community organisations to be set up in a way that they are able to access. ...1 week ago
- Release: Transport in NZ has to be more than just roads
As expected, the National Land Transport Programme lacks ambition for our cities and our country’s rail network and puts the majority of investment into roads. ...1 week ago
- Speech: Barbara Edmonds Building Nations 2024
Tēnā koutou katoa, Thank you for your warm welcome and for having my colleagues and I here today. Earlier you heard from the Labour Leader, Chris Hipkins, on our vision for the future of infrastructure. I want to build on his comments and provide further detail on some key elements ...1 week ago
- Govt transport plan deepens fossil fuel fix
The Green Party says the Government’s new National Land Transport Programme marks another missed opportunity to take meaningful action to fight the climate crisis. ...1 week ago
- Greens call for public to back Wrybill in BOTY and beyond
The Green Party is calling on the public to support the Ngutu Pare Wrybill not just in this year’s Bird of the Year competition but also in pushing back against policies that could lead to the destruction of its habitat and accelerate its extinction. ...1 week ago
- Building consents data bad news for construction
News that the annual number of building consents granted for new homes fell by more than 20 percent for the year ended July 2024, is bad news for the construction industry. ...2 weeks ago
- Te Pāti Māori Pay Tribute to Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
Papā te whatitiri, hikohiko te uira, i kanapu ki te rangi, i whētuki i raro rā, rū ana te whenua e. Uea te pou o tōku whare kia tū tangata he kapua whakairi nāku nā runga o Taupiri. Ko taku kiri ka tōkia ki te anu mātao. E te iwi ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Gaps still to be addressed in callouts response
The Government must guarantee New Zealanders will not be at risk after making changes to the way mental health callouts are handled. ...2 weeks ago
- Poroporoaki: Kiingi Tuheitia passing
Haere e te Kīngi o te kotahitangi Haere ki o nui, ki o rahi I te pō ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party pays respects to Kiingi Tuuheitia
The Green Party is paying tribute to the Māori King, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero XVII, after he passed away earlier this morning. ...2 weeks ago
- Potaka Brings Whakaata Māori to its Knees
Today’s Whakaata Māori announcement is yet another colossal failure from Minister Potaka, who has turned his back on te reo Māori, forcing a channel offline, putting whānau out of jobs, and cutting Māori content, says Te Pāti Māori. “A Senior Māori Minister has turned his back on Te Reo Māori. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: National restricts access to disability care homes
With disability communities still reeling from the diminishing of Whaikaha, a leaked document now reveals another blow with National restricting access to residential care homes. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Govt must help save 230 manufacturing jobs
Labour is calling on the Government and Mercury Energy to find a solution to the proposed Winstone Pulp mill closure and save 230 manufacturing jobs. ...2 weeks ago
- Govt shirks its responsibility to Whakaata Māori
The Green Party has called out the Government for allowing Whakaata Māori to effectively collapse to a shell of its former self as job cuts and programming cuts were announced at the broadcaster today. ...2 weeks ago
- NZ First Member’s Bill To Disestablish Auckland Transport
Today New Zealand First has introduced a Member’s Bill that will restore democratic control over transport management in Auckland City by disestablishing Auckland Transport (AT) and returning control to Auckland Council. The ‘Local Government (Auckland Council) (Disestablishment of Auckland Transport) Amendment Bill’ intends to restore democratic oversight, control, and accountability ...2 weeks ago - Release: PM fails in constitutional role and leadership
The failure of the Prime Minister to condemn his Minister for personally attacking the judiciary is another example of this Government riding roughshod over important constitutional rules. ...2 weeks ago
- Waititi urges Rotorua Lakes Council to immediately stop works at Lake Rotokākahi
Te Pāti Māori co-leader and Member of Parliament for Waiariki, which includes Rotorua, has written to Rotorua Lakes Councillors requesting they immediately stop sewerage piping works at Lake Rotokākahi in Rotorua. “Mana whenua have been urging Rotorua Lakes Council to stop works and look at alternative plans to protect the ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Patient care at risk from redundancies
Patient care could suffer as a result of further cuts to the health system, which could lose thousands of staff who keep our hospitals and clinics running. ...2 weeks ago
- New Bill to crack down on youth vaping
The coalition Government has introduced legislation to tackle youth vaping, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Amendment Bill (No 2) is aimed at preventing youth vaping. “While vaping has contributed to a significant fall in our smoking rates, the rise in youth vaping ...1 hour ago - Interest in agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review welcomed
Regulation Minister David Seymour, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard have welcomed interest in the agricultural and horticultural products regulatory review. The review by the Ministry for Regulation is looking at how to speed up the process to get farmers and growers access to the safe, ...2 hours ago
- Bill to allow online charity lotteries passes first reading
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says the Government is moving at pace to ensure lotteries for charitable purposes are allowed to operate online permanently. Charities fundraising online, such as those run by the Heart Foundation, Coastguard NZ, Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust and local hospices will continue to do ...3 hours ago
- Tax exempt threshold changes to benefit startups
Technology companies are among the startups which will benefit from increases to current thresholds of exempt employee share schemes, Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins and Revenue Minister Simon Watts say. Tax exempt thresholds for the schemes are increasing as part of the Taxation (Annual Rates for 2024-25, Emergency ...3 hours ago
- Getting the healthcare you need, when you need it
The path to faster cancer treatment, an increase in immunisation rates, shorter stays in emergency departments and quick assessment and treatments when you are sick has been laid out today. Health Minister Dr Shane Reti has revealed details of how the ambitious health targets the Government has set will be ...6 hours ago
- Targeted supports to accelerate reading
The coalition Government is delivering targeted and structured literacy supports to accelerate learning for struggling readers. From Term 1 2025, $33 million of funding for Reading Recovery and Early Literacy Support will be reprioritised to interventions which align with structured approaches to teaching. “Structured literacy will change the way children ...7 hours ago
- Survivors invited to Abuse in Care national apology
With two months until the national apology to survivors of abuse in care, expressions of interest have opened for survivors wanting to attend. “The Prime Minister will deliver a national apology on Tuesday 12 November in Parliament. It will be a very significant day for survivors, their families, whānau and ...9 hours ago
- Rangatahi inspire at Ngā Manu Kōrero final
Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini kē - My success is not mine alone but is the from the strength of the many. Aotearoa New Zealand’s top young speakers are an inspiration for all New Zealanders to learn more about the depth and beauty conveyed ...10 hours ago
- Driving structured literacy in schools
The coalition Government is driving confidence in reading and writing in the first years of schooling. “From the first time children step into the classroom, we’re equipping them and teachers with the tools they need to be brilliant in literacy. “From 1 October, schools and kura with Years 0-3 will receive ...1 day ago
- Labour’s misleading information is disappointing
Labour’s misinformation about firearms law is dangerous and disappointing, Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee says. “Labour and Ginny Andersen have repeatedly said over the past few days that the previous Labour Government completely banned semi-automatic firearms in 2019 and that the Coalition Government is planning to ‘reintroduce’ them. ...1 day ago
- Govt takes action on mpox response, widens access to vaccine
The Government is taking immediate action on a number of steps around New Zealand’s response to mpox, including improving access to vaccine availability so people who need it can do so more easily, Health Minister Dr Shane Reti and Associate Health Minister David Seymour announced today. “Mpox is obviously a ...1 day ago
- Next steps agreed for Treaty Principles Bill
Associate Justice Minister David Seymour says Cabinet has agreed to the next steps for the Treaty Principles Bill. “The Treaty Principles Bill provides an opportunity for Parliament, rather than the courts, to define the principles of the Treaty, including establishing that every person is equal before the law,” says Mr Seymour. “Parliament ...1 day ago
- Government unlocking potential of AI
Science, Innovation and Technology Minister Judith Collins today announced a programme to drive Artificial Intelligence (AI) uptake among New Zealand businesses. “The AI Activator will unlock the potential of AI for New Zealand businesses through a range of support, including access to AI research experts, technical assistance, AI tools and resources, ...1 day ago
- Government releases Wairoa flood review findings
The independent rapid review into the Wairoa flooding event on 26 June 2024 has been released, Environment Minister Penny Simmonds, Local Government Minister Simeon Brown and Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell announced today. “We welcome the review’s findings and recommendations to strengthen Wairoa's resilience against future events,” Ms ...1 day ago
- Promoting faster payment times for government
The Government is sending a clear message to central government agencies that they must prioritise paying invoices in a timely manner, Small Business and Manufacturing Minister Andrew Bayly says. Data released today promotes transparency by publishing the payment times of each central government agency. This data will be published quarterly ...1 day ago
- Acknowledgement to Kīngi Tuheitia speech
E te māngai o te Whare Pāremata, kua riro māku te whakaputa i te waka ki waho moana. E te Pirimia tēnā koe.Mr Speaker, it is my privilege to take this adjournment kōrero forward. Prime Minister – thank you for your leadership. Taupiri te maunga Waikato te awa Te Wherowhero ...2 days ago
- Interim fix to GST adjustment rules to support businesses
Inland Revenue can begin processing GST returns for businesses affected by a historic legislative drafting error, Revenue Minister Simon Watts says. “Inland Revenue has become aware of a legislative drafting error in the GST adjustment rules after changes were made in 2023 which were meant to simplify the process. This ...2 days ago
- Strong uptake for cervical screening self-test
More than 80 per cent of New Zealand women being tested have opted for a world-leading self-test for cervical screening since it became available a year ago. Minister of Health Dr Shane Reti and Associate Minister Casey Costello, in her responsibility for Women’s Health, say it’s fantastic to have such ...2 days ago
- Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document sets ambitious direction
Regulation Minister David Seymour welcomes the Ministry for Regulation’s first Strategic Intentions document, which sets out how the Ministry will carry out its work and deliver on its purpose. “I have set up the Ministry for Regulation with three tasks. One, to cut existing red tape with sector reviews. Two, ...2 days ago
- Māori Education Advisory Group established
The Education Minister has established a Māori Education Ministerial Advisory Group made up of experienced practitioners to help improve outcomes for Māori learners. “This group will provide independent advice on all matters related to Māori education in both English medium and Māori medium settings. It will focus on the most impactful ways we can lift ...2 days ago
- Government welcomes findings of NZ Superannuation Fund review
The Government has welcomed the findings of the recent statutory review into the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Minister of Finance Nicola Willis says. The 5-yearly review, conducted on behalf of Treasury and tabled in Parliament today, found the Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation ...2 days ago
- First of five new Hercules aircraft takes flight
Defence Minister Judith Collins today welcomed the first of five new C-130J-30 Hercules to arrive in New Zealand at a ceremony at the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s Base Auckland, Whenuapai. “This is an historic day for our New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) and our nation. The new Hercules fleet ...2 days ago
- Have your say on suicide prevention
Today, September 10 is World Suicide Prevention Day, a time to reflect on New Zealand’s confronting suicide statistics, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “Every death by suicide is a tragedy – a tragedy that affects far too many of our families and communities in New Zealand. We must do ...2 days ago
- Action to grow the rural health workforce
Scholarships awarded to 27 health care students is another positive step forward to boost the future rural health workforce, Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey says. “All New Zealanders deserve timely access to quality health care and this Government is committed to improving health outcomes, particularly for the one in five ...3 days ago
- Pharmac delivering more for Kiwis following major funding boost
Associate Health Minister with responsibility for Pharmac David Seymour has welcomed the increased availability of medicines for Kiwis resulting from the Government’s increased investment in Pharmac. “Pharmac operates independently, but it must work within the budget constraints set by the Government,” says Mr Seymour. “When our Government assumed office, New ...3 days ago
- Sport Minister congratulates NZ’s Paralympians
Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop has congratulated New Zealand's Paralympic Team at the conclusion of the Paralympic Games in Paris. “The NZ Paralympic Team's success in Paris included fantastic performances, personal best times, New Zealand records and Oceania records all being smashed - and of course, many Kiwis on ...3 days ago
- Government progresses response to Abuse in Care recommendations
A Crown Response Office is being established within the Public Service Commission to drive the Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care. “The creation of an Office within a central Government agency was a key recommendation by the Royal Commission’s final report. “It will have the mandate ...6 days ago
- Passport wait times back on-track
Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden says passport processing has returned to normal, and the Department of Internal Affairs [Department] is now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport. “I am pleased that passport processing is back at target service levels and the Department ...6 days ago
- New appointments to the FMA board
Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister has today announced three new appointments and one reappointment to the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) board. Tracey Berry, Nicholas Hegan and Mariette van Ryn have been appointed for a five-year term ending in August 2029, while Chris Swasbrook, who has served as a board member ...6 days ago
- District Court judges appointed
Attorney-General Hon Judith Collins today announced the appointment of two new District Court judges. The appointees, who will take up their roles at the Manukau Court and the Auckland Court in the Accident Compensation Appeal Jurisdiction, are: Jacqui Clark Judge Clark was admitted to the bar in 1988 after graduating ...6 days ago
- Government makes it faster and easier to invest in New Zealand
Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour is encouraged by significant improvements to overseas investment decision timeframes, and the enhanced interest from investors as the Government continues to reform overseas investment. “There were about as many foreign direct investment applications in July and August as there was across the six months ...6 days ago
- New Zealand to join Operation Olympic Defender
New Zealand has accepted an invitation to join US-led multi-national space initiative Operation Olympic Defender, Defence Minister Judith Collins announced today. Operation Olympic Defender is designed to coordinate the space capabilities of member nations, enhance the resilience of space-based systems, deter hostile actions in space and reduce the spread of ...1 week ago
- Government commits to ‘stamping out’ foot and mouth disease
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says that a new economic impact analysis report reinforces this government’s commitment to ‘stamp out’ any New Zealand foot and mouth disease incursion. “The new analysis, produced by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research, shows an incursion of the disease in New Zealand would have ...1 week ago
- Improving access to finance for Kiwis
5 September 2024 The Government is progressing further reforms to financial services to make it easier for Kiwis to access finance when they need it, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly says. “Financial services are foundational for economic success and are woven throughout our lives. Without access to finance our ...1 week ago
- Prime Minister pays tribute to Kiingi Tuheitia
As Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII is laid to rest today, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has paid tribute to a leader whose commitment to Kotahitanga will have a lasting impact on our country. “Kiingi Tuheitia was a humble leader who served his people with wisdom, mana and an unwavering ...1 week ago
- Resource Management reform to make forestry rules clearer
Forestry Minister Todd McClay today announced proposals to reform the resource management system that will provide greater certainty for the forestry sector and help them meet environmental obligations. “The Government has committed to restoring confidence and certainty across the sector by removing unworkable regulatory burden created by the previous ...1 week ago
- More choice and competition in building products
A major shake-up of building products which will make it easier and more affordable to build is on the way, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “Today we have introduced legislation that will improve access to a wider variety of quality building products from overseas, giving Kiwis more choice and ...1 week ago
- Joint Statement between the Republic of Korea and New Zealand 4 September 2024, Seoul
On the occasion of the official visit by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Christopher Luxon of New Zealand to the Republic of Korea from 4 to 5 September 2024, a summit meeting was held between His Excellency President Yoon Suk Yeol of the Republic of Korea (hereinafter referred to as ...1 week ago
- Comprehensive Strategic Partnership the goal for New Zealand and Korea
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon held a bilateral meeting today with the President of the Republic of Korea, Yoon Suk Yeol. “Korea and New Zealand are likeminded democracies and natural partners in the Indo Pacific. As such, we have decided to advance discussions on elevating the bilateral relationship to a Comprehensive ...1 week ago
- International tourism continuing to bounce back
Results released today from the International Visitor Survey (IVS) confirm international tourism is continuing to bounce back, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Matt Doocey says. The IVS results show that in the June quarter, international tourism contributed $2.6 billion to New Zealand’s economy, an increase of 17 per cent on last ...1 week ago
- New polling: half of Australians want gambling ads banned entirely; LNP has big Queensland lead
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Adrian Beaumont, Election Analyst (Psephologist) at The Conversation; and Honorary Associate, School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne A national Resolve poll for Nine newspapers, conducted September 3–7 from a sample of 1,614 people, gave Labor a 51–49% lead using ...2 hours ago - Facebook has scraped public data from Australian users without an opt out. What can we do?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Heather Ford, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney vectorfusionart/Shutterstock Facebook acknowledged in a Senate inquiry yesterday that it is scraping the public photos of Australian users to train its artificial intelligence (AI) models. Facebook’s parent company Meta claims this excludes ...2 hours ago
- Long-overdue Australian privacy law reform is here – and it’s still not fit for the digital era
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Katharine Kemp, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice; Lead, UNSW Public Interest Law & Tech Initiative, UNSW Sydney Wirestock Creators/Shutterstock Almost four years since the Privacy Act review commenced, the Australian government has introduced a reform bill that fails to ...2 hours ago
- Which gut drugs might end up in a lawsuit? Are there really links with cancer and kidney disease? Sh...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nial Wheate, Professor and Director – Academic Excellence, Macquarie University Doucefleur/Shutterstock Common medicines used to treat conditions including heartburn, reflux, indigestion and stomach ulcers may be the subject of a class action lawsuit in Australia. Lawyers are exploring whether long-term use ...2 hours ago
- PNG’s Marape remains PM after no confidence vote against him fails
By Scott Waide, RNZ Pacific PNG correspondent Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has successfully thwarted a vote of no confidence after 75 MPs backed him and 32 voted for the opposition. But the session was not without drama. Just after 10am, after the opposition leader moved a motion ...2 hours ago
- In sports-mad Australia, new research suggests physical education can be undervalued at school
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Casey Peter Mainsbridge, Senior Lecturer in Personal Devlopment, Health and Physical Education, University of New England WBMUL/Shutterstock Sport is a significant part of Australian culture and for many represents national pride and social connection. So, it would be fair to ...3 hours ago
- The House: Analysing government answers on guns
Even when ministers are trying not to answer questions, they frequently give away a lot of information, writes Phil Smith for The House. ...3 hours ago - ‘Insane, ridiculous and gross’: Under the skin of local body horror Grafted
Alex Casey talks to the creative team behind Grafted, a skin-crawling new local body horror. There’s a crumbling empty McMansion somewhere in Coatesville that became the “beating heart” of new local body horror Grafted, director Sasha Rainbow tells me. “When you walked in there, it had this creepy feeling, like ...3 hours ago - NZ concern over China-linked Pacific cyber breach
The Government is concerned by news of a cyber attack linked to the Chinese government against the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat , with the Asian superpower vehemently denying the claims.Newsroom understands the forum secretariat called in Australian cybersecurity experts in February over a potential cyber attack against its network.After investigating ...4 hours ago - Alex Greenwich’s defamation win against Mark Latham shows political spite is not above the law
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rick Sarre, Emeritus Professor of Law and Criminal Justice, University of South Australia Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich has been awarded $140,000 in his defamation suit against One Nation New South Wales leader Mark Latham over a homophobic tweet. Latham posted ...4 hours ago
- Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown proposes Point Chevalier-North Shore bridge
Wayne Brown is urging the government to build bridge from Pt Chevalier to the North Shore. ...5 hours ago
- Should school nurses weigh students? We asked 5 experts
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Fron Jackson-Webb, Deputy Editor and Senior Health Editor Drazen Zigic/Shutterstock One in four Australian children aged two to 17 are classified as above a healthy weight, based on their body mass index (or BMI, which is weight divided by height squared). ...6 hours ago
- Understanding risks for Australia of China’s slowing economy is Chalmers’ top priority at upcomi...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Laurenceson, Director and Professor, Australia-China Relations Institute (ACRI), University of Technology Sydney SURKED/Shutterstock When Treasurer Jim Chalmers travels to Beijing later this month, he and his counterpart at China’s peak economic agency, the National Development and Reform Commission, won’t be ...6 hours ago
- Kid Snow takes a stab at exploring masculinity in the gritty outback, but fails to land
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Gemma Blackwood, Lecturer, Media, University of Tasmania Madman Director Paul Goldman’s new Australian film Kid Snow is set in the gritty, male-dominated world of tent boxing in outback Western Australia. The film presents itself as a reflection on the intergenerational ...6 hours ago
- Darleen Tana says Greens broke own constitution by asking her to resign
Lawyers for the former Green Party MP are making their case that she was ejected from the party unlawfully. ...6 hours ago
- The inside scoop on being a teenager in a 700-person town
Phitcha, the star of the latest episode of Takeout Kids, tells Alex Casey about coming of age in the small tourist town of Akaroa. It’s very hard not to be charmed by Akaroa, the small Banks Peninsula town with a population of just 770 people. Best known for frolicking dolphins, ...6 hours ago
- Single-sex or co-ed? How to pick the right school for your child
While some academic results might put single-gender schools in the lead, there is much more to consider than test results. ...6 hours ago
- Blowing the dust off NZ’s ‘founding documents’ reveals the hold they still have on today’s T...
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Moon, Professor of History, Auckland University of Technology Getty Images There is power in paper. Anyone who denies the potency of history’s dusty documents needs only look at the current incendiary debates over proposed legislation tackling the “principles” of the ...6 hours ago
- New ministry spending more than $400,000 on contractors
A new ministry set up to slash red tape spent more than $400,000 on contractors in six months. ...7 hours ago
- Māori health leaders demand government kill Treaty Principles Bill
Māori health leaders are calling on the government to scrap the Treaty Principles Bill, fearing it will lead to even less equitable healthcare. ...7 hours ago
- Former Cabinet minister Aussie Malcolm dies
The former National MP and businessman was 83. ...7 hours ago
- Was the Trump-Harris debate an election game-changer?
An in-control Kamala Harris won the night by baiting her opponent into increasingly incoherent rage. And then Taylor Swift weighed in. This is an excerpt from The World Bulletin, our weekly global current affairs newsletter exclusively for Spinoff Members. Sign up here. Trump takes the bait The debate’s first question ...7 hours ago
- Watch: Health Minister announces details on government’s new health targets
Shane Reti has laid out a plan for achieving the government's big health goals. ...8 hours ago
- Freya Finch has found the time to dream
Freya Silas Finch is a multidisciplinary queer and trans artist working across theatre, film and performance art. They have taken part in the film intensive A Wave in the Ocean, run by Dame Jane Campion, and are in rehearsals for their solo show A Slow Burlesque with Silo Theatre. What ...8 hours ago
- Costs covered for abuse survivors’ travel to apology
All costs associated with travelling to a national apology for survivors of abuse in care will be covered free of charge. ...8 hours ago
- Watch live: Health Minister announces details on government’s new health targets
Shane Reti is making the announcement at Hutt Valley Hospital. ...9 hours ago
- Millions Wasted On Treaty Principles Bill
Calculations undertaken by the NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi show that the Government will have wasted millions of dollars to take the already failed Treaty Principles Bill forward. “This Bill is already dead, yet it keeps taking investment away from bigger ...9 hours ago - The latest version of ChatGPT has a feature you’ll fall in love with. And that’s a worry
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Brooks, Scientia Professor of Evolutionary Ecology; Academic Lead of UNSW’s Grand Challenges Program, UNSW Sydney arvitalyaart/shutterstock If you’re a paid subscriber to ChatGPT, you may have noticed the artificial intelligence (AI) large language model has recently started to sound more ...9 hours ago
- How well is the federal government regulating social media in Australia?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Rob Nicholls, Senior Research Associate in Media and Communications, University of Sydney Shutterstock This is the fourth piece in a series on the Future of Australian media. You can read the rest of the series here. We are part-way ...9 hours ago
- What we know about Australia’s arms exports: we’ve analysed the data
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Lauren Sanders, Senior Research Fellow on Law and the Future of War, The University of Queensland Thousands of protesters have been out in force in Melbourne this week to disrupt the Land Forces International Land Defence Exposition, where defence companies from around ...9 hours ago
- How the ‘rebound effect’ could eat away at the green gains from electric vehicles
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Mobility & Resilience, UNSW Sydney alexfan32/Shutterstock The transport sector produces around 19% of Australia’s total greenhouse gas emissions. About 85% of transport emissions come from road vehicles burning fossil fuels. In Australia’s Emissions Projections 2023, ...9 hours ago
- Do your boys fight with sticks, Nerf guns and fake swords all the time? Here’s why they do it
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Nagel, Associate Professor – Child Development and Learning, University of the Sunshine Coast Lipatova Maryna/Shutterstock , CC BY As someone who has spent most of his professional life studying how children develop, I’m often asked by parents (especially mums) why ...9 hours ago
- Vital green spaces are disappearing in NZ cities – what can central and local government do?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Blaschke, Honorary Research Associate, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington Getty Images Urban green spaces are disappearing from New Zealand cities, at a time when denser housing is being planned in many areas. Overall, the total area of ...9 hours ago
- Tech billionaire Elon Musk is on track to become the world’s first trillionaire. It’s a sign mar...
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Good summary. I can't see any reason for the repeal of that section, especially when there is absolutely no substantive justification for its repeal.
As far as I can see it appears to have been done, at best, by one person supported by her populist party, against the advice of almost everybody actually involved in the awful process of trying to protect an raise children with family issues.
I suspect that this is primarily a donor issue. A shit load of money wound up in the Act coffers to support this change.
It is in the Coalition Agreement between National and ACT:
https://assets.nationbuilder.com/nationalparty/pages/18466/attachments/original/1700778592/National_ACT_Agreement.pdf?1700778592 [pg. 9]
Yeah, but given the preponderance of Maori in child care and the clear evidence that the many previous practices only make the problems worse, why just put a explicit repeal in if they have absolutely no workable plan.
Because they don't beyond some waffle. The only coherent plans across of all three coalition parties are to reduce monitoring of the problems (aka deregulation), boot camps which are always a failure, and charter schools which are usually an expensive failure. None of which address known problems with taking children into care.
The ONLY justification that I can see from Act has been that 7AA upsets some foster parents. Which seems to me to be is probably where Act's financial interest probably comes from, hooked into their Hobson's choice stupidity.
So where is the plan to fix the obvious issues with children who wound up with badly monitored bad fostering causing widespread abuse. Have they read the abuse in care report, or even its summary. The level of systematic abuse from the kinds of care done outside family groups was and almost certainly still is horrendous. In my view it is worse than the abuse inside families. Especially when you look at how it impacts largely on Maori and Polynesian.
Do Act like torturing children? Because I can't see any other reason for repealing 7AA
I agree parliamentary debate should be respectful. It's just hard to swallow coming from an ACT Minister whose party last week complained of racism when a couple of Select Committee members opposed ACT MP Laura Trask leading a subcommittee on Section 7aa, supposedly on the grounds of her being pakeha. Not true of course, as Carmel Sepuloni, who is on the Committee said. Laura Trask is a novice MP, who has now been parachuted in to chair part of a very delicate and controversial policy, which Karen Chhour is responsible for. Don't tell me this isn't about a power grab by ACT and crying in the corridor because she doesn't like the inevitable push back is pathetic. She has power. Power as a Minister, power with a huge salary and staff, power to change lives for the better or the worst. All I can see is the worst part of it.
A few years ago when she was in Opposition, I came across one of the many multitudes of press releases the ACT MPs were required to churn out on a daily basis. Something to do with unemployment (I think she was their welfare spokesperson?)
I decided to email her about it, not expecting a reply at all, but she did reply, and we maintained a very civil correspondence whilst agreeing to disagree. Given I can never get replies from the Greens- the party I vote for- but I got a response from my natural enemy, well she gets credit for that. But not my vote!
Also completely agree with this post.
Bugger Me.
A piece of fluff from Kapa-Kingi and the world has fallen.
But crickets from our main stream press about the deep racism and retrograde nature of Chour's law change and the continuation of negative impacts it will bring.
What a truly fucked up time we live in. When a ugly retrograde piece of legislation can be forced through, because of someones feelings got hurt.
The cultural change in acceptable behavior has shifted this week with the Privileges Committee scolding Genter for honestly being a good hardass.
Chhour complaining is part of the change of what's acceptable.
Same with those limp-wristed fools in the Green Party complaining about the weakest of slights once actual party discipline comes down. So pathetic.
So long as you're not punching people, I expect power to be contested very hard.
Bring back the 'Duck'……………….
Eventually the issue of 7AA comes down to the ineptitude of one Christoper Luxon. It seems that there is little support for the removal of 7AA and yet the top notch Luxon Negotiator was out-shone by a very minor party.
Great summary of the issue thanks Mikysavage.
Great post Micky. This is all Seymour’s fault-he chose the wrong person to front this issue. This is only going to get worse.
If he had any sense he would replace her with himself now, but he is not used to managing a caucus that is in government and he would hate to admit he got this badly wrong.
Far from a piece of fluff, this is punching below the belt.
“If Section 7AA were around in Karen Chhour’s time, she would have been raised Māori, she would have been raised being connected to her whakapapa and having a knowingness of her Māoritanga. Instead, she was raised Pākehā with a disconnection and disdain for her… people."
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350362931/act-mp-karen-chhour-breaks-down-tears-over-unsafe-workplace
Doesn't mean I am in favour of the repeal of 7A. To sheet these actions to Chhour's door is drawing a long bow.
It was done and dusted for Luxon and crew to get power, as pointed out by Incognito above. (Comment 1.1)
I heard Chhour on RNZ on this subject, she didn't convince me of it's appropriateness but came across as a committed, compassionate human being
I think that Karen Chhour is a driver of this particular repeal rather than merely a party puppet.
She introduced the private member’s Bill on 22 Sep 2022.
It was rejected at the First Reading in Parliament on 23 Jul 2023 with both National and ACT MPs voting in favour.
https://bills.parliament.nz/v/6/3e5bd3e0-b189-4110-b3d8-7e8345384863?Tab=history
I like to think that it was no issue to put it into the Coalition Agreement.
None of this justifies playing the person but even taking out/down the person, if this is even a deliberate strategy by some opponents, won’t change the course of what the coalition is doing.
If I have time, I’ll follow-up with my own perception and assumptions of some of the reasons that might be driving Chhour and also the coalition parties in their war against ToW (as an umbrella term) and the NZ version of Project 2025.
Thanks for expanding on that, it sheds a bit more light on the issue.
She's not as 'pawnish' as I thought.
I would be interested to read yr views as to her motivation.
From where I sit, it seems like trying to lessen a rigid adherence to orthodoxy that has occasionally not served the child well.
Chhour is definitely not a pawn; she's far too smart for that. And I agree with your comment that comes across as committed and compassionate. For some reason opposition parties have chosen to make this particularly personal. (Applause in Parliament as Karen Chhour condemns personal attacks from Te Pāti Māori about her upbringing | Newshub). Willow-Jean Prime called her a 'sell out'. Kelvin Davis said that Chhour needed to 'leave her Pākehā world'. And so on. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer's 'white tears' social media posts last week continued the same theme. These attacks appear to be both patterned and coordinated, and they seem intended to paint her as a 'lesser' Māori.
There may be good reasons to oppose the removal of 7aa, but while Labour and TPM continue to 'punch below the belt', they will fail to make that case.
Chhour is definitely not a pawn; she's far too smart for that.
Can you provide proof? Her take on the legal issues is appallingly bad. So bad no one I know supports it.
For some reason opposition parties have chosen to make this particularly personal … Willow-Jean Prime called her a 'sell out'. Kelvin Davis said that Chhour needed to 'leave her Pākehā world'. And so on.
Have you been around? These criticisms are really tame and Kelvin had the decency to apologise.
There may be good reasons to oppose the removal of 7aa, but while Labour and TPM continue to 'punch below the belt', they will fail to make that case.
Labour is not punching below the belt. How about you respond to the case they have made instead of alleging they have not done so.,
You can start with this – https://www.labour.org.nz/news-release_govt_s_stubbornness_will_harm_m_ori_children
You're implying smart = intelligent. I can't make a jugdgement on her intelligence. However I know people who work or have worked with her, and the word they use to describe her is 'smart'.
"These criticisms are really tame and Kelvin had the decency to apologise."
It's subjective whether they are 'tame'. It is not subjective that they are personal.
"Labour is not punching below the belt."
When Prime called Chhour a 'sell out', she was targeting her race. Davis was doing the same thing. These are low blows, and suggestive of a lack of actual argument.
"You can start with this –"
That doesn't provide any kind of 'case'. It's slogans. A case would be evidence that section 7aa, or it's repeal, actually makes a blind bit of difference. Young children died in the care of family before section 7aa, and they have continued to die after it.
Might have something to do with what’s happening in Parliament these days; leave your conspiracy theories for your SM accounts.
Okay then, make the case for or against instead of being a Chhour and ACT apologist.
"Might have something to do with what’s happening in Parliament these days…
Of course it will have something to do with what's happening in parliament. It's political. It’s an ideological difference, with one side playing the man. Or in this case woman.
"Okay then, make the case for or against instead of being a Chhour and ACT apologist"
What gives you that idea? I've been clear – children died before 7aa and have died since. At the hands of family whose care they should never have been placed in.
Trying to lessen a rigid adherence to orthodoxy. There were definitely instances where Maori children, settled and well attached, were removed from pakeha families, the very sad South Island case of 4 children being the most well known; strongly condemned by Kelvin Davis and Ta Mark Solomon. Seemed the work of over reactive social workers after the condemned removal of the infant in Hastings, staff or directors who did not seem to understand the vital importance of attachment. I do know of 2 other cases, causing heartbreak; I certainly hope this practice is not happening still. Maybe it’s unfortunate that Karen didn't dialogue with the Waitangi Tribunal for better understanding on both sides.
That would be appreciated Incognito. I have been trying to figure it out for some time. My original estimate was that overall theToW case is being conducted in a climate of spite and retaliation for them essentially rocking the Tory boat. Tory… as in right wing conservative Anglo Saxon angst at being challenged by what they generally regard as a inferior race. How Chhour fits into the strategy I don’t know.
"she is no ordinary worker. She is a highly paid politician who is primarily responsible for getting through some really regressive policies." MS
“It no longer feels like I can walk [Parliament’s] corridors without fear….." KC
When the powerful and privileged start playing the victim card, everyone else needs to be on guard.
In Chhour's interview with Tova she got a taste of boot camp culture and didn't like it. I feel a little sorry for her. She's just a puppet of Seymour's psueudo Darwinian philosophy and will be left by him to sink or swim. Real boot camp stuff eh?
I think Chour's desire to remove 7AA stems from cases like Moana. This little girls plight was commented on this site numerous times around the time of the case. I think it was Molly who said she knew of similar cases.
I have always thought Karen came across as vulnerable, which would make sense due to her background. I am not sure how I would describe the attacks on her other to say she is being targeted. And this is having an impact on her.
Having followed the case of Moana, I think it is so important that OT put safety above culture. Sometimes thankfully they are not mutually exclusive. But what happened to Moana is despicable.
On the one hand TPM don't make themselves look professional by making personal attacks (and, possibly) appearing to condone that kind of attitude from others. TPM seem to me to be trying to build support by social influence than professional politics, but I guess the rule book didn't anticipate that so it's not breaking any rules.
But ACT took on the same broad issues as Don Brash did with his Orewa speech, so why the backlash surprises them surprises me.
Like the nerd in the classroom who teases the poor kid with the torn jersey, then runs to the teacher when he gets his nose tweaked.
For decades a central message, albeit tacit perhaps, from the ACT party has been self reliance, standing on your own two feet, no one owes you a living, the realities of life, delivering a 'tough message', a hard message, getting tough, hardening up………I found chours reaction to be so unlike the standard ACT rhetoric and attitude
OK, have stared at this over the course of a week.
Summary: Karen Chhour:. With no education or prospects, was an apparel industry outworker, maybe former checkout operator, did ACT’s “politics” course, and was selected from the intake. Deprived background, emotionally fragile, no conceptual ability, black and white thinking, debating with her would be pointless, shooting her down inhumane. Believes completely that what she is doing is good. Dazzled by where she is standing fronting up this stuff. I do not believe she writes parliamentary bills.
Background: Seems to be about 43. Childhood between foster homes, homeless as an adult, unsure she would survive (tons on Google). No recorded education.
Linked-in says: 2005-10, Countdown ‘customer service’ (sic); 2019 to present, own company Kazzer Services. Listed as “New Zealand-made clothing and property management” – karen-chhour/interests says she owns no property except her own mortgaged home, so presumably home expenses go through.
Clothing – – NBR says act-list-mp-karen-chhour/ “Chhour contracts to clothing companies and sews their clothes, tags and presses them before sending them back ready to be displayed in clothing stores”. It's called outworking, a job frequently done by migrant workers.
ACT protegee: ‘Did a one year course in politics through the party’. Any relation to Seymour’s two-week Atlas MBA?
See ACT’s course (or semester?) my.act.org.nz/sopps “Practical Politics”. October intake is sold out, alarmingly. “Practical politics” – appears to work politics based on how to get power by inventing threats to scare people and demonising the other side. May be Atlas-Network-wide (e.g. nes-g.org/en/last-news/practical-politics-the-first-day. Run by Atlas Network in Georgia (Caucasus, not USA)
More ACT ‘education’ – spotify.com/show/ ‘Politics in Full Sentences’, a series of weekly podcasts “for those who love free markets and free minds”. Four years ago, but you can see the build up. Sinister.
But back to KC – – with what she represents, as ACT's creature, it's horrifically brilliant – a weapon of mass destruction that it would be cruel to oppose. .
Thanks for that reference. It does explain a lot about why Seymour was reasonably effective as an opposition operator, but is now proving to be so useless and under-trained at the process of government. He lacks the well-rounded education required. Probably too arrogant to understand his own lack of breadth.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/02/new-zealand-america-moving-trump/
https://admin.atlasnetwork.org/assets/documents/financials/22209874-Atlas-Year-in-Review-2008_1.pdf
Karen Chhour as well. Looks to me like she shouldn’t be anywhere near a ministerial role.