Another rightie at the trough

Written By: - Date published: 7:10 am, February 2nd, 2012 - 36 comments
Categories: jobs - Tags:

It’s tough getting a job in the Key economy. There’s 80,000 more people wanting work since Key came to office and 43,000 fewer jobs. Fortunately, there’s always a do-nothing government job going … if you know the right people. Eh, Catherine Isaac? The ACT leader-in-waiting needs an income.

Don’t get distracted around whether Isaac is qualified to oversee the trial of charter schools or not. She’s not. The real question is why would the government need to set up a five person team of political appointees to oversee two trial schools anyway – isn’t that the Ministry of Education’s job?

This whole thing is just about sending some of your money the way of some of the government’s political allies so that they, unlike you, don’t have to get up every morning and do a real job.

36 comments on “Another rightie at the trough ”

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  1. muzza 1
    2 February 2012 at 8:08 am

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=280&objectid=10782706

    Isaacs punches back!

    If CI is being seen as a future ACT leader, does that mean Banks has “passed away” or some other such fortuitous happening – Exit stage right, so to speak!

    • Chris 1.1
      2 February 2012 at 8:35 am

      What does Banks passing away or anything of the same have to do with CI being a future Act leader?

    • Hami Shearlie 1.2
      2 February 2012 at 8:38 am

      Heavens to murgatroyd! Could Binky finally be biffed?

    • One Anonymous Bloke 1.3
      2 February 2012 at 8:56 am

      Whizzo!

      Situations vacant.

      Ministry of Economic Development Senior Policy Advisor.

      The successful applicant will be heading up a team to oversee an economic experiment that has reduced incomes and productivity in all other countries. Our expectations are high.

      You will have no formal qualifications in economic or strategic planning, but you will have sat on the board of directors of a medium sized local company for six years, and simply love economics.

      To apply, send your cell phone number and a recent photograph to John’s PA.

    • Eddie 1.4
      2 February 2012 at 10:13 am

      Banks isn’t ACT leader

  2. marsman 2
    2 February 2012 at 8:52 am

    The whole thing is a bit like handing the keys to eduction in NZ to the crooks of the Business Round Table.

    • Draco T Bastard 2.1
      2 February 2012 at 12:48 pm

      We did that when we voted these fuckers back in.

      • JonL 2.1.1
        2 February 2012 at 2:49 pm

        What do you mean “We”, paleface!
        How many people will cry “I didn’t vote for them”, regardless, in the next year or two?????

  3. felix 3
    2 February 2012 at 9:35 am

    Pretty funny hearing michael lhaws cracking a woody and drooling over isaacs just now.

    Even he recognises that the appointment reeks though.

    • Bored 3.1
      2 February 2012 at 11:21 am

      Haha, wonder if he was looking at the airbrushed or wrinkly photos of blondie? Or maybe the bank account?

  4. HappyGoLucky 4
    2 February 2012 at 9:47 am

    Careful – Mike Williams was appointed simultaneously onto at least 3-4 government boards. Given his role as President of Labour, it opens us up to plenty of criticism.

    • Frank Macskasy 4.1
      2 February 2012 at 11:28 am

      So…

      You’re ok with an individual overseeing the restructuring of our school system, even though she has zero experience in the education field?

      Wait… Banks said that Isaacs had spent six years on a School Board of Trustees!!

      Gosh…

      So, if we take Board membership as a new criteria for a professional qualification, then, that means that if I was elected to the Wellington District Health Board, that after six years I can hang up my shingle as a heart surgeon?

      Cool!

      What a great cost-cutting measure. We can get rid of that pesky, expensive School of Medicine in Otago, and train up our “doctors” cheap-as!!

      Ok, who’s first up for a triple by-pass? *spit-polishes bread knife*

      • Blue 4.1.1
        2 February 2012 at 3:36 pm

        I’m ok with it, Michael Cullen believed he could run the economy with his background in um, history. The school system is not being “restructured” as you hysterically out it, some schools are being trialed that is all, so calm down now. But I do think you’re being deliberately obtuse or attempting to be funny, either way you’ve missed the mark. Your rather clumsy analogy that if you’ve run a hospital you can then perform surgery would have more weight if Ms Isaacs was going to actually teach in schools, not just sit on a committee.

        • Draco T Bastard 4.1.1.1
          2 February 2012 at 7:08 pm

          Get it right, it was economics history which means he probably has a better grasp of economics than most economists.

          some schools are being trialed that is all,

          Some schools on a model that has already proven to be a failure. Not a particularly bright idea.

        • marsman 4.1.1.2
          2 February 2012 at 8:02 pm

          ‘ It’s about the children’ Isaacs whines. It’s about For Profit Schools, that’s why she’s involved!

        • Colonial Viper 4.1.1.3
          2 February 2012 at 11:48 pm

          Your rather clumsy analogy that if you’ve run a hospital you can then perform surgery would have more weight if Ms Isaacs was going to actually teach in schools, not just sit on a committee.

          Anne Tolley’s quals for being Minister of Education was home schooling her own kids.

          We’ll expect similar performances from Isaacs.

        • foreign waka 4.1.1.4
          6 February 2012 at 8:16 pm

          Blue, Mr Cullen was one of the best ministers this country has ever had. His point of view was inclusive and well thought through and this is not something you could say about a lot of people, let alone ministers.
          He served as Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, also Minister of Finance, Minister of Tertiary Education, and Attorney-General.
          Education: MA in History at Canterbury University. Receiving the Commonwealth Scholarship he then gained a PhD in Social and Economic History from the University of Edinburgh.
          From 1971 to 1981 he was a lecturer at Otago University, with a term as a Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University from 1975 to 1976.
          His integrity will give him a lasting place in NZ History.

          • Frank Macskasy 4.1.1.4.1
            6 February 2012 at 10:54 pm

            I concur, Waka. Cullen actually left this country in a better state than when Labour took over from Shipley & Co in 1999.

            Those righties who are in doubt can have a squizz at the data (but they won’t like what they find); http://fmacskasy.wordpress.com/2011/11/16/labour-the-economic-record-2000-2008/

            The data was collected by such outrageously left-wing organisations as IMF, World Bank, OECD, NZ Reserve Bank, and NZ Treasury. All “communist-front satraps”, no doubt, to have painted Labour in such good light…

            Ah, facts. They can be such inconvenient little beggars sometimes…

  5. Eddie 5
    2 February 2012 at 10:12 am

    Seriously? You’re using the ‘they did it too’ line?

    Did the ‘but all the other kids do it’ defence work on your parents?

  6. randal 6
    2 February 2012 at 10:19 am

    so what will her salary be?
    or is that commercially sensitive?

    • CnrJoe 6.1
      2 February 2012 at 11:25 am

      surely she’ll do it for free ’cause she’s a success at business and the reason she wants the role is ’cause she cares so much – she could be an inspiration if

    • Akldnut 7.1
      2 February 2012 at 11:48 am

      The main picture is Banksie which is understandable because he’s their MP, all the othe MPs are gone burgers and the comment link has been disabled plus there are no likes (thumbs up) for facebook.

    • Carol 7.2
      2 February 2012 at 3:19 pm

      Gosh. Act has got a load of MPs!… and Don Brash. These business types are so very efficient!

      Sorry should have scrolled down a bit before I posted. These points have already been made.

    • eljaydee 7.3
      4 February 2012 at 8:54 pm

      I particularly like “poor quality regulation”. Given there stand on eliminating all forms of regulation, I think it important that they regulate poor quality. Under this appointment I think we can guarantee poor quality education and if they work it right, we should be able to get poor quality health care, poor quality aged car and who knows how far they can take it.

  8. Ianupnorth 8
    2 February 2012 at 11:52 am

    What, the picture of their ‘five’ MP’s, or this classic line about charter schools

    A private sector-chaired implementation group will be established to develop the proposal for implementation in this parliamentary term.

  9. Frank Macskasy 9
    2 February 2012 at 11:56 am

    Indeed, Akldnut, Ianupnorth. According to their website,m they still have five MPs. (Instead of the one-man Banks Circus.)

    Which doesn’t instill much “confidence” in their much-vaunted efficiency, if they can’t even spend an hour updating their own website…

  10. randal 10
    2 February 2012 at 3:02 pm

    to busy updating their bank accounts.

  11. randal 11
    2 February 2012 at 3:19 pm

    and they go on and on and on about innovation, and creativity and building the pie but when it comes down to it all they can do is chisel the government revenues.

  12. Eduardo Kawak 12
    6 February 2012 at 8:34 pm

    Not sure how ACT is going to prevent poor quality regulation – when they can’t even regulate their website.

    At least it’s clearer now where the additional education funds generated from asset sales is going to be spent – on pointless shams like this.