Goneburger
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- Date published:
1:04 pm, April 24th, 2024 - 55 comments
Categories: melissa lee, politicans -
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As predicted 10 days ago the first Ministerial goneburger has occurred and it is Melissa Lee.
It will be interesting to find out what happened in the background. The fingerprints of Winston Peters already appear to be all over this.
Penny Simmonds has lost the Disabilities portfolio.
Stand by as this unfolds.
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Lee was a bit of a shocker on her previous outing as a minister ..
I was surprised when she popped up again..
..made me think the national talent-pool must be ankle-deep…
And penny Simmonds is still environment minister..
(That’s reassuring..eh..?)
Luxon realised he screwed up royally by not putting the Climate Change minister in cabinet, so he has corrected this today.
Too late Christopher, we all know now that you don't give a toss.
Sixteen years in the House, and this is all it amounted to? She'll be no loss.
Luxon, Peters and Seymour basically threw her under a bus, so its no surprise she got squashed.
This combination of rich urban yuppies, yeomen farmers and conspiracy theorists basically hate the media, so they chose the weakest link to manage broadcasting.
After all that time around politics (including the "dirty" era), she ought to have been able to sense that she was being set up to fail – and turned the job down.
Threw a couple of females under the bus. Murdoch and other cartoonists must lovet his coalition.
Possibly the end of the political career of another National also-ran whose main purpose to the tories was to get the Chinese asian votes.
There are a few others like David Bennett and Paul Goldsmith who do just as little and deserve similar but because they are old white guys they won't get dumped.
M the L – if I recall, David Bennett was a list MP prior to last year's General Election and he was placed quite low on the list and decided to call it quits then. I'm also presuming he wasn't re-selected as candidate for Hamilton East.
Don't be mean. Mike the L can't really be expected to keep up with what is going on in Parliament.
He probably hasn't noticed yet that Jacinda and Grant are no longer there. In fact he might not have realised that Helen Clark is gone from the House.
Yes, my point was that he was there a long long time despite doing nothing much. Doing nothing seems to get you success within National. They probably kept him on because he entertained everyone with his constant rants about socialism.
Journalism's loss was Parliament's gain? Or something like that.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melissa_Lee#Early_life_and_career
They wouldn't, would they?
Korean-origin minister Melissa Lee, National's highest-ranking candidate of Asian heritage at the election, received donations worth $25,662 – 100 percent from the party. Lee spent $24,938 of this amount on her campaign.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/indonz/510783/asian-candidates-demonstrated-fundraising-prowess-in-2023-election
Hard to disagree with Goldsmith in there. Dry as toast and quite happy for market forces in purest form alter the media landscape.
Simmons without any TEC guardrails is turning our tertiary education sector into risible mash. Her blindsided of the Disability Commissioner was ugly. She's an ugly human.
Dear PM
Nobody says "this is how I roll", except characters in TV comedies. You cannot expect anyone to take you seriously, and basically nobody does. But thanks for the laugh.
Perhaps she meant "This is how I get rolled".
Based on today's outcome, it's possible she saw it coming.
'This is how I roll.' from Hip hop and/or rap…MC Hammer 1991. Another sickening slogan.
Re Lux and Lee – "This is how I roll" – painful(ly).
Lee's sacking means nothing except Luxon posturing – “look at me being tough.”
And she's a member of the Natz party.
Wait until someone from ACT or NZF fucks up. Then we'll see just how 'strong and tough' he really is!
Surprised that the MINISTER FOR SMOKING Casey Costello didn't get the boot also.
Surely shouldn't be long.
As Tony V suggests above, there are different rules for the 2 other parties. Their Minister numbers are locked into the coalition agreement. Costello would have to be replaced by somebody from NZF, and only with Winston's permission. Luxon is not running this show.
So don't expect Costello to go soon, or ever.
There are a couple of take aways not immediately apparent, IMHO.
1. Luxon has dealt with these two ministers like the CEO of a big company. You stuffed up, you have to go. Anyone with the slightest interest in NZ politics can join the dots between poor performance and getting put out with the milk bottles.
A seasoned politician would have done this as part of a wider cabinet reshuffle. Put in the new boys to assist with the demanding portfolios now, then dropping the deadwood later on, when joining the dots wasn't so clear. So, we can learn a bit more how Luxon sees himself as more CEO than prime minister.
The other ministers who aren't part of the inner circle may also realise that taking risks may not be the key to ongoing success. Worrying times, IMHO.
2. Coupled with the above, this happened way too early if Luxon cares about presenting himself as the maker of occasional bad choices. People will see what happened here and start wondering who will be the next fruit to fall from the tree, instead of seeing a professional bunch of cabinet ministers (by people, I mean swinging voters who maybe voted for Luxons rhetoric and could be swayed otherwise in 2026).
Ardern reshuffled way too late and too light, so by the end it was just a political laxative.
Luxon could do one of these a quarter and enable his bench to play to their peak.
Very pithy comments.
Every time I've watched Lee and/or Simmonds I've had the uncanny feeling I'm watching Claire Curran rehashed, which is kind of ironic in Lee's case.
Luxon likes the CEO analogy, but it doesn't work.
A CEO doesn't think "Well, the Marketing Dept is stuffing up badly but they're untouchable, because their staff answer to another executive, not me".
It's an impressive trick to persuade people that a hostage is really the boss, so he's doing that con job well. Maybe his opponents should stop joining in with the fiction? Call him what he is, not what he claims to be.
Well at least he's treating his own team with the same disdain he shows for public servants.
Don''t be fooled folks. This is all about Luxon. Luxon's incompetency to be more accurate.
He's a CEO not a PM. He hires and fires at will. When someone shows him up by doing or saying something stupid then out the door they go. That is why he was so unpopular at Air NZ. He is a bastard… along the lines of RD Muldoon.
His flock will come to hate him just as they did at Air NZ. How many will be hired and fired before the axe comes down on him?
"That is why he was so unpopular at Air NZ. "
Says who? Running a large international airline is not a popularity contest, but I know several people who worked at Air NZ during his tenure and say he was liked and respected.
I'm not convinced about Luxon the PM, but as CEO of Air NZ, I'll leave it others who know better than you and I:
Air New Zealand chief executive Christopher Luxon resigns | RNZ News
"Chairman Tony Carter said Mr Luxon has made an outstanding contribution to the airline. He said under Mr Luxon's tenure the firm had experienced a period of enhanced profitability, strong dividends to shareholders and record customer satisfaction scores."
Analysis: Luxon still flying high after Air New Zealand gig | RNZ News
Under his leadership the airline has had a makeover in planes, routes, and profitability which has been envied by many larger carriers around the world.
Under Mr Luxon, the airline has become more service focused and innovative in everything from flight safety videos to lie flat beds in cabins. It's no accident that it has walked away with what might be regarded as the Oscars of the aviation world.
Internally he has been credited with improving the wage structure, rewarding non-executive staff with bonuses, and improving diversity.
That's why Jacinda appointed him chair of her Business Advisory Council
https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/prime-minister-announces-business-advisory-council
Good point.
"Says who?"
Says a couple of pilots I happened to know who were also speaking on behalf of their colleagues. That's who. Can't speak for the backroom.
One of the sticking points seemed to be that he took full credit for the job his predecessor actually started…
Bit like what he is said to be doing now. Taking credit for enacting certain policy planks that had already been commenced by the previous govt.
Do you believe everything you read in the press? Their interviewees wouldn’t exaggerate would they… because it might be in their interest?
"Says a couple of pilots I happened to know who were also speaking on behalf of their colleagues. "
So gossip, basically. Doesn't carry any weight with me.
"Do you believe everything you read in the press? They wouldn't exaggerate would they… because it might be in their interest."
The Chairman of Air NZ? The Business editor of RNZ? As I said, I'd take their opinion over yours or mine.
Edit:
“”You can’t deny that Air NZ’s financial performance and increase in profitability has coincided with Christopher taking on the role as CEO,” says Award Judge Cathy Quinn, chair at Minter Ellison Rudd Watts. “Airlines are seen as difficult business to run profitably. Air New Zealand faces big and large competitors with deep pockets.”
https://www.nelsonairport.co.nz/airport-news/air/deloitte-top-200-ceo-of-the-year-christopher-luxon-air-nz
He was CEO in the post GFC and pre pandemic period when airline management was easy – tourism began to boom (Qantas had record profits in 2018). Fyfe left forecasting what was ahead.
That wasn't Cathy Quinn's view. And there appeared to be a lot more successes for Air NZ under Luxon's leadership than just financial.
I know several people who worked at Air NZ during his tenure and say he was liked and respected.
…And what about the thousands of other people who worked there?
…
Exactly! These are all anecdotes. That was why I questioned Anne’s claim. It’s the old ‘depends who you talk to’, including Anne’s ‘couple of pilots’.
An acquaintance who worked for Luxon reckoned he was pompous knob, oblivious to the trials and tribulations of those around him, with high opinions about his own abilities.
.
Luxon's legacy – how does it stack up
Christopher Luxon leaves Air New Zealand next week after eight years.
He began by running the international airline, where he made big changes before being appointed to the top job. Grant Bradley looks at some of the key areas that have marked his time in the role.
https://archive.li/JJCPa (NZ Herald 21/9/19 )
Thanks for the Herald link – the original is behind a paywall. The take-away is that Luxon oversaw a period of high profitability and improved industrial relations. And this:
Union reps were among the guests at Luxon's farewell put on by the airline's board this week and pilots say Luxon was good at clearly explaining just how their jobs, future growth and the interests of the airline are intertwined.
Pompous knob he may have been, but 'unpopular' and 'incompetent' (Anne's words) he clearly is not.
Bag the boss when you when you're on $150K – >$300Kpa plus tax-free allowances? Nah
The 'boss' was leaving the next week. So yeah, they would have said what they wanted.
Career prospects, sport.
@Joe90 – never mind what happened at Air NZ, I'm living in fear of his restructuring and layoffs.
Luxon seems to be living in a fantasy world, where he is CEO of NZ Inc and all the people who live here are his talent pool, some to be rewarded, others to be laid off. Jobseekers are his 'dead-wood', worthy only to show the rest of us how insecure our lives are (so we'd better knuckle down and take it).
Since the elections, NZ has been moving closer to being another FoxCon, imho.
"I want my disgraces in the dark places. It's how I Troll"
BS, and/or maybe Luxon has grown since, but then there's his “entitled” gaffe.
Real-life "pompous knobs" are seldom truly popular – I should know
It seems reasonable that CEO Luxon is regarded as popular and competent by some, versus unpopular and incompetent by others – not to mention unpopular and competent, or popular and incompetent – issue-by-issue, case-by-case. So many possibllities – depends in part on who and what you (want to) believe.
"I can't recall"
Another day another anecdote. A CEO with a few detractors. And a legacy of success. Maybe he will make a decent PM.
Love anecdotes – so entertaining; healing even – laughter is the best medicine. Keep 'em coming. The ones about John ‘tax haven’ Key’s legacy were hysterical.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Politics
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/25/new-zealand-referendum-same-flag-what-was-that-about
Que Sera, Sera…
Both Clark and Key made decent PM's. That reflected in their personal popularity, and their political success. So maybe there's hope for Luxon yet.
Key was useless. He was all show and no substance. He was just lucky to be backed up by four competent and near competent people. Some of his behaviour was pretty awful, and the behaviours of some of his "friends" were despicable.
Depends how you define 'decent' – my biased pick is Ardern over DP Key.
Our opinions all have a degree of bias, Drowsy.
Of course empathy is important in a leader, when balanced against performance.
“What’s happened today will shock a lot of people, because over the last few years we’ve got used to Prime Minsters just putting up with their ministers doing a bad job or behaving badly in public. Kiri Allan, Phil Twyford, Michael Wood, Clare Curran, even Nanaia Mahuta – the Foreign Minister who didn’t like international travel. It took forever for Hipkins or Ardern to demote the under-performers, and they suffered for it – public opinion of them was tainted.”
HDPA quoted at Christopher Luxon’s show of strength is perfect for our angry era – Bryce Edwards’ Political Roundup (msn.com)
“That’s very shrewd.”
Interesting BE headline – is our (present) era (or the people in it) unusually angry, and if so, then why? What does Bryce think?
And where to from here for anger? Time and the cost of living will tell.
One of my takeaways is that the CoC talent pool is frightenly shallow.
The other is that Seymour and Peter’s will look weak if they don’t handle their ministers similarly.
when you saw the original make up of the COC cabinet the weakness and dearth of talent was all too obvious. a 6 monthly clean out of ministers to clean up another cluxton fuck could well be a recurring theme
Cowards. What are you hiding from?
https://www.stuff.co.nz/politics/350256165/waitangi-tribunal-summons-childrens-minister-overturned-high-court
‘The mana of the tribunal is not diminished.’ Except it’s not allowed to call ministers to account when it says it needs to, but only when the paternalist court says it’s okay. Don’t be silly thinking your constitutionally mandated powers actually exist natives!
The mana of the High Court IS diminished.
Ms Lee was a mediocre presenter at best in her previous career and a token Natzo candidate–anyone recall her comments about Mt Albert, re South Aucklanders coming to commit crimes…
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/mp-motorway-would-keep-south-auckland-criminals-out/ECNWU6W5J3TZBOARN2KZKFA5ZE/
Dodging media channel interviews and industry engagement does not cut it for too long for any Minister.
Micky may be right about Winston, the ultimate crunch point for this CoC Govt. will be when Winston has to hand over the Deputy Prime Ministership to Dave, which he will not enjoy one little bit. Mr Peters turned on Jacinda Ardern with his threatened letter to the Governor General before the 2020 Election so there is little reason to think that he would not plan similar power plays for the current PM–Mr Baldrick Luxury Luxon.
And the clock is ticking on the name suppression.
It doesn't really matter now whether Luxon was a good or a bad CEO. Because being a CEO is the complete opposite of being a Prime Minister.